Quinley Inman and Socks ABunch swept the barrel racing at the 48th Annual Indian National Finals Rodeo held at South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in October, winning the Junior Barrel Racing Tour Championship, Junior Barrel Racing World title and Open Barrel Racing World title at 9 years old.
Quinley Inman lives and breathes rodeo. The 5th generation cowgirl has spent her life on the back of a horse and started entering INFR tour rodeos when she was 6. When she’s not on the INFR road, she competes at junior rodeos in barrel racing, poles, goat tying, breakaway and heeling for her dad.
Always having a love for barrel racing, her main mount, 2007 mare Socks ABunch, affectionately known as “Socks” brought on a new excitement for the sport.
“Quinley has always been passionate about horses and rodeoing,” her mom, Jordyn said. “When she was able to buy Socks, it opened a whole new meaning of passion. She would not be where she is at without Socks.”
The Inman’s bought Socks in July of 2023 from Ashley Whatley who also competes at INFR rodeos. Quinley qualified for the Junior Barrel Racing finals in 2023, and both the Junior and Open Barrel Racing finals in 2024 aboard Socks.
“We always liked watching [Ashley] run Socks,” Quinley said. “She was always very consistent and you could tell she had a big heart and loved her job. Ashley had two younger horses at the time and told us God was telling her Socks needed to be loved by a little girl. She knew we loved Socks, so she picked me to be Socks’ little girl.”
While Socks has helped take Quinley to the next level, she’s special to the Inman’s for all the opportunities she’s given them, especially bringing Whatley into their lives.
“I can’t imagine not having her in my circle,” Quinley said about her friendship with Whatley. “She is our biggest cheerleader and always helping Socks and I. I got to run with Ashley in the same performances and she makes it fun and kept me from getting nervous.”
Now 17 years old, Socks has taken Whatley to the INFR in Las Vegas four times, and Quinley twice.
“We can never thank Ashley enough for giving Quinley the opportunity to own Socks,” Jordyn said. “Socks is a once in a lifetime horse and Quinley looks up to and admires Ashley so much as a person and barrel racer. We are so thankful for her.”
The Perfect Pair
Laid back until it’s time to run down the alley, Quinley said Socks loves to pin her ears when she runs.
“She usually takes a nap at the trailer after you saddle her, that’s when you know she is going to run hard,” she said.
Quinley argues that Socks has the best personality and doesn’t fully know she is a horse. From blueberry Pop Tarts to sweet tea and lots of peppermints, Socks gets all the special treats.
“She likes her Bluebonnet feed almost as much as all of the special treats I give her,” Quinley said with a laugh. “She likes to do tricks with the peppermints, like bowing down for a peppermint or using them to stretch her each direction before I run. She is very loving and always wants to please. Sometimes when I’m roping with my dad and need help exercising horses, my 5-year-old sister exercises Socks for me in the pasture. Socks takes care of all of us and loves us big.”
At the junior rodeos and local jackpots, Quinley usually runs her mom’s horse, Moe, to save Socks for the Indian rodeos. The Inman’s bought a mare from Florida right before the INFR hoping to take her to the finals as a backup to Socks, but when that didn’t work out, Socks went as Quinley’s only mount.
“When we had hopes of bringing a backup horse, I planned to save Socks for the junior barrels,” Quiney explained. “Once we decided I was just bringing Socks, my plan was to go for it every round. I was confident she would take care of us every run, and that’s what I love most about her.”
Socks made seven runs in five days and placed in every round, winning both aggregates. Quinley’s goal for the year was to win the INFR Junior Barrel Racing Tour Champion title, which she far exceeded by also claiming the Junior Barrel Racing World Champion title and Open Barrel Racing World Champion title.
“She gave it her all to make all of the runs. She is my unicorn,” Quinley said. “Socks definitely likes the rodeos and rodeo ground instead of perfect jackpot ground. She fires a lot harder in a rodeo performance. She thrives from the loud music and crowd. I do too!”
The duo won round one with a 16.025 and $2,338 followed by fourth in round two with a 15.919 worth $1,423. Second in round three and four won Inman $4,066 for her 15.356 and 15.459. Her 62.759 seconds on four runs won an additional $4,677 for the aggregate win.
“The ground started off a bit scary early in the week, and Quinley had the confidence knowing her horse would take care of her and stand up on anything, so her plan never changed,” Jordyn said. “The INFR and barrel directors did a wonderful job getting the ground improved for the rest of the week.”
Inman placed second in round one of the junior rodeo with a 15.613, fifth in round two with a 15.684 and second in round three with a 15.742. Her 47.039 won the Junior aggregate, adding $2,945 to her earnings.
“This win is very special because I knew Socks deserved this,” Quinley said. “I am so happy to win two world titles along with my dad who won the calf roping world title also. It was really cool to have both of us win world championships at the same time. I am proud to represent my tribe, Cherokee Nation.”
It Runs In The Family
Quinley’s dad, Quinton won his third Tie-Down Roping World Champion title as well in Las Vegas. Quite possibly the most special moment of the event was the father-daughter duo standing on the same stage as world champions.
“There are really no words to describe it. Thankful,” Jordyn said. “It still feels like a dream. We knew this was going to be one of the toughest finals with the elite group of barrel racers. We hoped she could do well in the juniors, and thought she could stay solid in the open rounds to possibly win an average check at the end of the week. We really never thought the week would end like it did, something you only dream about.”
The INFR is a family affair, with Quinley in the barrel racing, Quinton in the tie-down and team roping and Quinley’s grandpa, Robie Inman competing in the Senior Team Roping, so there wasn’t much down time between one of her family members being up in every performance and caring for their horses.
“Competing alongside Quinley is one greatest rodeo experiences I’ve ever had,” Quinton said. “I now know why my dad would not enter somewhere if I wasn’t going, rodeoing with your kid is such a special experience. Rodeoing with Quinley has made the losses feel less important and the wins a little sweeter because we get to share them together.”
Robie was inducted the INFR hall of fame in 2022 and Quinton won the All-Around Cowboy World title in 2016, along with three Tie-Down World titles (2016, 2019, 2024). Quinley’s younger sister is almost 6 and eager to enter her first INFR rodeo in Florida in February.
“Before Quinley was entering, it was just Quinton and Robie going to the INFR rodeos,” Jordyn said. “It was really hard for Quinton to take off and not have his family with him so they didn’t go to many of them. Now that Quinley, and soon to be Rilynn, get to enter, we all go and make the best family trips out of it.”
Quinley, who is a 4th grader at Ketchum Elementary school in Ketchum, Oklahoma enjoys traveling with her family and seeing new places, visiting national parks, and doing fun things on their trips.
“We get to travel all over from Arizona, Florida, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Canada and everywhere in between,” Quinley added. “In the summer when I am out of school, we try to stay up north for a couple of weeks and hit several INFR rodeos. During school, we leave as late as we can to try not to miss school, and my dad drives all night to get us there and back as quick as possible to try to get back to school Monday morning. Sometimes we pull up to the school drop off in our truck and trailer, I brush my teeth in the trailer and hop out to go to school!”
With many horses at home, Jordyn said when Quinley needs to work on herself she gets on a handful of horses, from Quinton’s tie-down horses, young horses, and even his bull dogging horse, to work them in the practice pen. This helps keep Quinley tuned up and extra appreciative of Socks.
Quinley said Socks has enjoyed a much-deserved break this past month and is excited to head back to Las Vegas in January for the American Western Region Finals at South Point, which she qualified for at the INFR.
“I am thankful INFR gave us this opportunity,” she added. “I plan to keep her exercised and in good shape and make a few runs on her in December to get ready. After the regional finals in January, we will be headed to Hollywood and Brighton, Florida for three weeks to compete in our first INFR rodeos of the 2025 season.”
Round 1: 1) Quinley Inman/16.025/$2,338; 2) Carsyn Hibbs/16.191/$2,033; 3) Sallye Williams/16.200/$1,728; tie-4) Kelsy Gillen/16.203/$1,271; tie-4) Ashley Whatley/16.203/$1,271; 6) Cayda Dodginghorse/16.255/$813; 7) Gabriyelle Irving/16.268/$508; 8) Jareth Curley/16.307/$203.
Round 2: 1) Graysen O’Conner/15.715/$2,338; 2) Sonya Dodginghorse/15.79/$2,033; 3) Kenzie Kallenberger/15.825/$1,728; 4) Quinley Inman/15.919/$1,423; 5) Kelsey Howard/15.924/$1,118; 6) Tara Seaton/15.925/$813; 7) JC Hawk/15.950/$508; 8) Carsyn Hibbs/15.979/$203.
Round 3: 1) Kelsey Howard/15.210/$2,338; 2) Quinley Inman/15.356/$2,033; 3) JC Hawk/15.565/$1,728; 4) Gabrielle Irving/15.583/$1,423; 5) Teal Stoll/15.679/$1,118; 6) Tiffany Teehee/15.712/$813; 7) Sallye Williams/15.719/$508; 8) Tara Seaton/15.758/$203.
Short Round: 1) Tiffany Teehee/15.330/$2,338; 2) Quinley Inman/15.459/$2,033; 3) Gabriyelle Irving/15.559/$1,728; 4) Kelsey Howard/15.619/$1,423; 5) Ashley Whatley/15.629/$1,118; 6) Kenzie Kallenberger/15.754/$813; 7) Mercedes Bradfield/15.896/$508; 8) Katie Marcenko/15.928/$203.
Aggregate: 1) Quinley Inman/62.759/$4,677; 2) Kelsey Howard/63.258/$4,067; 3) Gabriyelle Irving/63.488/$3,457; 4) Sallye Williams/64.019/$2,847; 5) Ashley Whatley/64.453/$2,237; 6) Fallyn Creighton/64.656/$1,627; 7) Cayda Dodginghorse/64.778/$1,017; 8) Katie Marcenko/65.783/$407.
Full INFR results can be found here.
*INFR qualifiers consisted of the top 20 in the standing based on money won and 12 automatic qualifiers who won an INFR rodeo that has at least $6,000 added per event. The top money earner of each event wins the tour championship.
