MCKINLEE PASCHAL HOLDING TOP SPOT OF IFYR ALL-AROUND STANDINGS

SHAWNEE, Okla. – As the action got underway at the 30^th annual International Finals Youth Rodeo (IFYR) in Shawnee, Oklahoma at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center, heated races for the $250,000 payout began to unfold.

Mckinlee Paschal (Nome, Texas) currently leads the Cowgirl All-Around standing with $2,080 in earnings, while Kiley Slavin (Goodwell, Oklahoma) sits a near No. 2 with $1,227 in earnings.  

In barrel racing, Mckinlee Paschal (Nome, Texas) set the bar high at an impressive 16.364 seconds, where she edged out the competition, out running Biloxi Shultz’s (Abilene, Texas) 16.413-second time. With a 4.1-second time, Jasper, Texas’ Cole Pugh notched the number one spot in steer wrestling, topping Ryden Martin’s (Sulphur, TX) and Reece Jordan’s (Tupelo, Oklahoma) 4.2-second time.

Bryce Henderson (Del Rio, TX) beat out the competition by almost a full second in the tie-down roping. Henderson raised his hands at the 8.4-second mark while Cort Gambino (Lindale, Texas) had the second place time with a 9.0-second run.

A battle for the breakaway roping title began as Summer Williams (Perkinston, Mississippi) surged to the top of the leaderboard with a 2.0-second time, good for the best time of the week. Williams is beating out the remaining of the competition by a tenth of a second. Hannah Bass (Brenham, Texas) has earned the top time in the pole bending, posting a lightning fast 20.435-second run, besting Harley Potter’s (Waxahachie, Texas) 20.488-second time.

Goat Tying became fiercely contested, where Gracie Roseberry (Weatherford, Texas) and Annamarie Pierce (Cloutuerville, Louisiana) found themselves both knotted up with a 7.3 second time. Besting Gentry Merkel’s (Yorkville, Illinois) 7.9-second run.

In the team roping, Jim Watkins (Bristow, Oklahoma) and Bode Gatlin (Meeker, Oklahoma) notched a 6.0-second run, outdoing Jace Thorstenson (Morristown, Arizona) and Denton Dunning’s (Surprise, Arizona) 6.2-second run. Cooper Lane (Keller, Texas) and Wyatt Lavergne (Sulphur, Louisiana) are the only saddle bronc riders to cover. Lane earned the highest mark ride with a 77.0 performance while Lavergne had a 62.0 score in the first go.  

After the first-go, John Crimber (Decatur, Texas) holds onto the best score with an 83.0, while Tate Pollmeier (Fort Scott, Kansas) and Carter High (Weatherford, Texas) have tied for the number two position with a 71.0 score.

As one of three bull riders to deliver a qualified ride, Quintonn Lunsford (Mccune, Kansas) found himself in the top position with a 75.0 score, edging out Clayton Hibler’s (Wheeler, Texas) 74.5 score.

The IFYR will feature 11 total performances, beginning Sunday, July 10 at 8 p.m. with the final performance and championship round taking place Friday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. with three arenas running simultaneously during each performance. The event will consist of two long-go’s and a short-go, made up of the top 15 contestants in each event.

Tickets are now on sale and start at $6. They can be purchased at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center, or online at IFYR.com.