Round 1 of the IFR: The Performances That Shined

Last night was the first round of the International Finals Rodeo (IFR) held at the Lazy E in Guthrie, Oklahoma. This year-end championship event for the International Pro Rodeo Association (IPRA) brings talented cowboys and cowgirls and their best mounts from across the country.

 The entry was one of pride for state and country as contestants carried the flag of the state they represented. IPRA Miss Rodeo USA 2025 Megan Kelly carried the American Flag and greeted the audience, while this year’s rodeo queen hopefuls looked on and assisted in between events.

 Bucking horses brought the energy as the night began with bareback riding. After an initial mishap and need for a reride for Luke Herbert, the horses livened up and gave their cowboys a fight. Luke Elsenpeter, a native of Fairland, Oklahoma, won the round with an  81.50 point ride. Quintonn Lunsford was just behind him with an 81.00 point ride.

 The steer wrestling followed with each of the top four placements clocking in close to 4 seconds. Between young guns like Tanner Lloyd and former NFL football player Robert Hughs, and last year's champion Cody Doescher, there were several that drew the crowd's extra attention. It was competitor Newt Bush that took first though with a 4.1-second run, and David Jr. Reagor came in second with a 4.2-second run. 

 After the bulldoggers finished up, the teams started gathering to chase some steers. First place in the team roping was awarded to father and son duo Brad and Braxton Culpepper with a 4.8-second run, and second place to Peavy Hill with a 5.4-second run. The Culpepper name has become a household team roping name thanks to dad Brad's success, and his son seems determined to carry on that tradition.

 The audience then turned back to the bucking chutes for the saddle bronc riding, which rookie Spur Montag dominated with an 86.75 ride. Right behind him in second place was Colt Bass with an 81.75 ride. Plenty of airtime for horses and cowboys, with the most successful rides letting the horses claim the air.

Next the timed events continued with the tie-down roping cowboys putting on a show. South Carolina cowboy Cynch Whitesell took first place with an 8.4-second run on his horse Sprinkles, a Horse of the Year awardee. The cowgirls then brought the heat in the breakaway roping, with another Carolina native, North Carolina’s Sage Dunlap, winning round 1 with a 2.5-second run.

 The cowgirls kept up the momentum with as they kicked off barrel racing. After the first few runs resulted in penalties from knocked over barrels, Payton Askins came through and won first with a 16.266-second run. The cowboys then finished out the night vying for strong 8-second rides on the country's top bulls with Ayden Fortune taking home the win with an 81.75 point ride.

 Notable in the contestant field were several Canadian competitors and several families. Father-son duo Braxton and Brad Culpepper in the team roping, brother-sister Cynch and Kolby Whitesell in calf roping, husband-wife duo Zeb and Cassie Chapman in the calf roping, husband-wife duo Jessie and Jarod Nooren in the calf roping, and the Brumley and Lloyd brothers across multiple events, just to mention a few. 

 Now that the horses and contestants have had some time to get settled in and knock out opening night nerves, the performances will only continue to improve. For three more rounds, America will be able to watch dreams unfold as these talented cowboys, cowgirls, and horses compete for gold buckle glory and their shot at a piece of the over $500,000 payout.

 For those wishing to view the rodeo, the NextGen rodeo app offers livestreaming at 7:30 p.m. (Central time) Friday and Saturday night and at 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

 Here’s to the surprises of round 2.