Keep Your Eye On These Young Athletes At The YETI Junior World Finals

In 2017, I made the pilgrimage to Las Vegas to attend the National Finals Rodeo (NFR). Like any good pilgrim, I also attended Cowboy Christmas, a gift show almost synonymous with the rodeo itself. As a young girl who grew up barrel racing and pole bending in Minnesota, I had heard about the NFR and Cowboy Christmas, the mecca of all things Western. Now as an adult, I giddily perused the wares of the exhibitors and admired a stunning antique squash blossom, a pair of horse hair mecate reins, and a paisley silk wild rag. As I leisurely snaked my way through the exhibitors and events (like autograph sessions with NFR athletes and various speakers), I stumbled upon a compact arena with a pair of riders expertly roping a steer. Their movements were smooth and accurate, a culmination of what appeared to be decades of practice. When I got closer to the arena, I realized the two were just barely teenagers. I had serendipitously discovered the YETI Junior World Finals.

One of the brainchilds, Bo Gardner, the Vice President of Corporate Marketing for Las Vegas Events (LVE) and Junior World Finals General Manager, wanted to bring more visibility to Cowboy Christmas while supporting youth athletes. “Our goal is to get the best of the best in all age categories, 18 and under,” Gardner says during a phone conversation. He is well-versed in what it takes to be a junior athlete. A decorated rider, Gardner placed 9th in the world for the American Quarter Horse Youth Association in 1983. Competing in horsemanship, Western pleasure, showmanship, halter, working cowhorse, and English pleasure, he acquired a robust equestrian education. This background, coupled with his 20 years of marketing work for Anheuser-Busch, made him an attractive candidate to join the LVE team. “I knew the properties in Las Vegas, the events, and the venues. I also have a Western background. So they recruited me. I took the job because I knew I would love it.”

Terran Talsma competed in the Steer Wrestling during the 2023 YETI Junior World Finals.

This passion and marketing sense helped create the first YETI Junior World Finals back in 2015 (previously named the Junior NFR). With riders’ ages ranging from 8 – 19 years old, the current format includes 9 total events (team roping, steer wrestling, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, barrels, pole bending, bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding) with six different producers. A distinction of this rodeo is that the individual producers dictate how they format their specific event to ensure they get the best talent in each category.

This system allows athletes to compete simultaneously in other associations like National Little Britches Rodeo or National High School Rodeo. The YETI Junior World Finals act as an additional feather in their cap, distinguishing these youth cowboys and cowgirls as the top riders in their events. This format also allows some incredible producers to be involved with the event, like two-time NFR barrel racing champion and five-time NFR qualifier Kelly Kaminski. Along with quality athletes and producers, the Junior World Finals team itself is also first-class. Most notably, there’s Brilynn Bentley, the rodeo’s assistant general manager. A 2023 recipient of Cowgirl magazine’s 30 under 30 award, she rose to recognition primarily for her work with the Junior World Finals. “I think the highlight of attending the Junior World Finals is that you have the best of the best when it comes to youth competition, but you also never know who might join us as spectators,” she says. “We have a lot of NFR qualifiers and world champions like Ote Berry (steer wrestler) and Sage Kimzey (bull riding) who come to support our contestants.”

Kashlee Hill competed in Pole Bending during the 2023 YETI Junior World Finals.

To The Next Level And Beyond

For Bentley, the rodeo is personal. With a background in barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway, and team roping, she understands the dedication it takes to become an elite athlete and prioritizes preparing these youth athletes for the possibility of professional careers. “Junior World Finals is my passion project. Our slogan is ‘Rodeo’s Next Up.’ For us, we’re not just preparing them for our rodeo, but creating expectations so they’re ready for the next level, too.”

There’s a strict timetable for each of the athletes competing, similar to professional rodeos. Not only are the riders expected to compete at a high level, but they also have to be organized with logistics. “It’s a very short time period that they’re there on-site to compete, like a professional rodeo. We expect a lot from them and we hope that we’re preparing them to become our next NFR athletes.” These expectations have paid off in tangible ways, with a long list of Junior World Finals veterans becoming NFR athletes with names that include Riley Webb and Shad Mayfield (tie-down ropers), Bayleigh Choate (barrel racing), and Bridger Anderson (steer wrestling).

These formats have been successful, and the entries for the YETI Junior World Finals have skyrocketed. The rodeo has grown so much that this year it will have a new location. It’ll still be a part of Cowboy Christmas and adjacent to it, but it graduates to its own outdoor tent.

Ayden Benevides and Blayne DeMattos competed in the Team Roping in 2023.

“We have a new gorgeous 52,000-square-foot tent,” Gardner says. “We will build the bleachers, build the arena, build everything from the ground up, and give the Junior World Finals Rodeo its own designated area at the Las Vegas Convention Center grounds.” There’s a sense of nostalgia in Gardner’s voice — and Bentley’s too. Perhaps they are reminiscing back on their days on horseback and competing as a kid. I am reminded of my own rodeoing days in rural Minnesota. There is a lot of power in the memories of our childhood, and a rodeo like the Junior Finals Rodeo can change the trajectory of these young athletes’ lives. It’s a thrilling prospect.

“I just get so excited, and I just love what it does for these kids,” Gardner says, beaming. “And we have a million dollars in cash and prizes for them. Now we have over 800 entries. We’re in 38 states and five countries. Wow. I mean, that’s where this rodeo has gone.”

Find out more about the YETI Junior World Finals events at nfrexperience.com/juniorworldfinals.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Las Vegas Events

HEADER IMAGE: Wade Magner (on Dustin’s Delight) competed in the Saddle Bronc Riding last year in Las Vegas. The competition will move to a newly built arena this year.