Grimes earns barrel racing title after a record-breaking run in Estes Park
ESTES PARK, Colo. – If Kathy Grimes didn’t like Rooftop Rodeo before, she loves it now.
A year ago, Grimes placed fourth with a time that would have been an arena record, but there were three other ladies that were faster in Estes Park. On Friday night, she blazed around the pattern in another arena-record 16.64 seconds to win the title for the first time.
“I love this rodeo,” said Grimes, a 2017 National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Medical Lake, Washington. “I finished fourth last year, so it was a good pen for her. I decided to just come here instead of Laramie (Wyoming), and, gosh, it worked out.”
Yes, it did for her and her trusty mount, Issy, a 12-year-old black mare. In fact, there were 18 ladies who posted runs that were faster than Ari-Anna Flynn’s record run of 17.04 seconds in 2018. That says a great deal, especially considering only 15 of them earned money in Estes Park.
“I can’t even explain how thrilled I am and how much I needed this little boost,” said Grimes, who was 26th in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s world standings heading into this week of rodeos. “It was finally perfect. I hit a couple barrels this week. You need those confidence-builders. You can have 10 good runs and one crappy one, and that’s all you focus on.”
But the victory in Estes Park can go a long way. Not only is it a confidence-booster, but the $4,595 she earned should move her up in the standings. That’s important for many reasons: Not only do the cowgirls make a living on the rodeo trail, but dollars equal points. Only the top 15 ladies on the money list at the end of the season will advance to the NFR in December.
Issy was the horse that made that happen two years ago. What may be even cooler is that the black beauty is a second-generation horse for Grimes, who competed on Issy’s dam, Do it for Beau, more than a decade ago.
“She was my first embryo transfer endeavor,” she said. “She’s special because she’s the first. Her mom helped me fill my permit so I could get my (WPRA) card in 2006. She just has excelled, then took me to my first NFR.
“She has done so many things for me, and she’s a very tough horse. She actually has 17 embryos on the ground, and she’s only 12. She is very fertile.”
Issy’s dam also is a prolific breeder and has been out-produced by all her babies in terms of money earned.
“That probably was because I didn’t know a lot back then,” Grimes said. “Issy is just an amazing horse, and I try not to screw it up.
“I had a pretty good winter, but we need to have a really great summer to make the NFR again. It’s not going as good as I hoped, but if I can remember what to do right it’ll be OK. She always gives 150 percent, and there’s a lot of summer left.”
For now, though, she’ll cherish the victory, the money and the arena record from Rooftop Rodeo.
“The hospitality is awesome, and food is super important for us on the road,” Grimes said. “The free stalls are always so appreciated, because we have a place for our horses to be safe and out of the weather.”
It’s no wonder she enjoys her summertime jaunt to Estes Park.
Rooftop Rodeo
Estes Park, Colo.
July 8-13, 2018
Bareback riding: 1. (tie) Tim O’Connell, on Cervi Brothers Rodeo’s San Luis, and Spur Lacasse, on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Ain’t No Angel, $5,412 each; 3. Seth Hardwick, 84.5, $3,472; 4. (tie) Taylor Broussard, Jesse Pope and Blaine Kafuman, 83.5, $1,565 each; 7. (tie) Steven Dent and Kody Lamb, 83, $715 each.
Steer wrestling: Round 1: 1. Stockton Graves, 4.2 seconds, $1,480; 2. Hunter Cure, 4.3, $1,225; 3. (tie) Jacob Edler, Riley Duvall and Shane Frey, 4.4, $714 each; 6. Tyrel Cline, 4.8, $255. Round 2: 1. Cody Harmon, 3.8, $1,480; 2. Billy Boldon, 4.2, $1,225; 3. Blake Mindemann, 4.3, $970; 4. Aaron Vosler, 4.6, $714; 5. Don Payne, 5.0, $459; 6. Kaleb Summers, 5.1, $255. Average: 1. Aaron Vosler, 9.3 seconds on two runs, $2,220; 2. Billy Boldon, 9.6, $1,837; 3. Riley Duvall, 9.7, $1,453; 4. (tie) Jacob Edler and Cody Harmon, 9.8, $880 each; 6. J.D. Struxness, 10.1, $383.
Team roping: 1. Tyler Wade/Billy Jack Saebens, 3.9 seconds, $4,920; 2. Bubba Buckaloo/Shay Carroll, 4.0, $4,402; 3. (tie) Ty Blasingame/Brandon Bates, Cody McCluskey/Joe Mattern and Jake Orman/Tyler McKnight, 4.4, $3,667 each; 6. (tie) Joshua Torres/Jonathan Torres and Chad Masters/Joseph Harrison, 4.5, $2,072 each; 8. Garrett Rogers/Jake Minor, 4.8, $1,295; 9. (tie) Colby Lovell/Ty Arnold and Cory Kidd/Kory Koontz, 4.9, $518 each.
Saddle bronc riding: 1. Hardy Braden, 86 points on Cervi Rodeo’s Alpha Dog, $5,555; 2. Colt Gordon, 86.5, $4,259; 3. Allen Boore, 85, $3,148; 4. Ross Griffin, 84. $2,007; 5. Jake Wright, 83.5, $1,296; 6. (tie) J.J. Elshere and Trent Burd, 83, $833 each; 8. (tie) Logan Cook and Jesse Wright, 82.5, $278 each.
Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Dane Kissack, 8.1 seconds, $1,573; 2. (tie) Kody Mahaffey and Clint Nyegaard, 8.4, $1,166 each; 4. Marcos Costa, 8.6, $760; 5. Logan Vick, 8.7, $488; 6. (tie) Garrett Busby and Ryan Thibadeaux, 8.9, $136 each. Round 2: 1. Chase Williams, 7.8 seconds, $1,573; 2. Trenton Smith, 8.1, $1,302; 3. (tie) Jase Staudt and Cooper Mathews, 8.4, $895 each; 5. (tie) Kasen Brennise and Reid Zapalac, 8.5, $380 each. Average: 1. Chase Williams, 16.9 seconds on two runs, $2,360; 2. Marcos Costa, 17.4, $1,953; 3. Joey Dickens, 18.0, $1,546; 4. Dane Kissack, 18.7, $1,139; 5. Jase Staudt, 18.9, $732; 6. Trevor Theil, 19.2, $407. c
Barrel racing: 1. Kathy Grimes, 16.64 seconds, $4,595; 2. Sara Cheeney, 16.70, $3,676; 3. Dona Kay Rule, 16.74, $2,967; 4. Sissy Winn, 16.76, $2,297; 5. Lacinda Rose, 16.79, $1,838; 6. Leia Pluemer, 16.81, $1,378; 7. Jill Wilson, 16.83, $1,149; 8. Jill Tanner, 16.84, $1,034; 9. Ashley Harvey, 16,86, $919; 10. Carley Taylor, 16.92, $804; 11. Carley Cervi, 16.93, $689; 12. Sidney Forrest, 16.94, $574; 13. (tie) Nicole Love and Kelly Yates, 16.95, $402 each; 15. Kelly Allen, 16.96, $230.
Bull riding: 1. Nathan Hatchel, 87.5 points on Lyndel Hurst’s Yello Hair, $4,202; 2. Josh Frost, 86.5, $3,21; 3. Trey Kimzey, 86, $2,381; 4. Cody Johansen, 83.5, $1,541; 5. Callum Miller, 83, $980; 6. Riker Carter, 82, $700; 7. Sean Lynch, 81.5, 560; 8. Hayden Harris, 80.5, $420.