The Cowboys of Color Invitational Rodeo took center stage at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo January 19, with Kailee Howell taking the top spot in the barrel racing.
The Cowboys of Color Invitational Rodeo presented by T39 Telemundo took center stage in Dickies Arena on Monday at the 129th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
The multi-cultural event which showcases African American, Hispanic and Native American athletes competing in traditional rodeo events from bronc riding to roping to bull riding, highlights the FWSSR annually on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
The event begins with traditional rodeo pageantry and patriotic music along with “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black national anthem.
Special featured performances included the Paul Lawrence Dunbar High School Marching Band, the Escaramuza — a group of eight women riding sidesaddle in beautiful Mexican traditional dresses — with synchronized maneuvers in the Mexican rodeo tradition, and the Circle L5 Riding Club — Fort Worth’s all-Black riding club formed more than 70 years ago — with their precision horseback drill team. The rodeo ended with an exhibition of bull jumping.
The biggest money winners of the day were both former champions of this rodeo. Trevor McCaslin of Glenpool, Oklahoma, took first place in the Ranch Bronc Riding with a 74-point ride. McCaslin, who has won multiple championships in the United Pro Rodeo Association, was the Fort Worth Cowboys of Color ranch bronc riding champion in 2022 and 2023.
High school senior Avontis Williams of Terrell, Texas scored 86 points to win the bull riding for the third consecutive year. He is the reigning Texas High School Champion Bull Rider.
Both McCaslin and Williams earned $2,750 as only one other rider made a qualified ride in each of their events.
Kailee Howell of Conroe, Texas, dashed to the top in barrel racing, winning the event with 17.51 seconds with former champion Brittany Jones of Lipan, Texas, finishing second.
Topping the field in steer wrestling was Sterling Walton of Anderson with a time of 5.0 seconds. Walton has won the Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association’s steer wrestling title twice and finished as runner-up three times.
The only tie-down roper to turn in a time under 10 seconds was Kadrion Richards of Midlothian whose 9.0-second run gave him the win.
Richards, a third-generation cowboy coaches both youth and adult ropers.
The Cowboys of Color Rodeo, founded by Cleo Hearn, brings cowboys and cowgirls of all races and cultures together for events which help fund scholarships to aid young competitors in attending college.
The 129th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo continues through February 7 at the Will Rogers complex.
