Written June 1996 by Carol Hockenberry, Photos by Kenneth Springer
“I just go for it every time,” said Josey Junior World Champion Colt Tew. “I run a finals run like it is any other run or even a practice run.”
Tew, 12, from Belgrade, Montana, won the Youth Division and $3,666 riding Smooth My Feathers, a sorrel mare by Folly’s Jet Smooth out of Troubled Woman by Go Moore Meyers, bred by Harold Sterhand of Montana. They ran the fastest single time of the event, stopping the clock at 15.977 in the second go-round. They won the year’s use of a 4-Star trailer for having the fastest combined time of the Youth or Junior divisions with a 48.300.
The successful 15th Annual Josey Junior World Championship was held at the Josey Ranch in Karnack, Texas, May 3-5. Destiny Rendek, 20, Lorena, Texas, won the Junior Division and $3,154 riding Charlottes Shy. The barrel race featured $58,800 in prize money, scholarships and numerous other prizes from sponsors such as Purina Feeds, Circle Y Saddles, Billy Cook Saddles, Strongid C by Pfizer and Ariat. The event attracted 289 total entries, 17 more than 1995, and paid out $58,800, $3,212 more than last year. The Junior Division (14-20), paid out $34,000 with 164 entries and the Youth Division (13 and under), paid out $24,800 with 125 entries.
Jackie Dube, Giddings, Texas, took home an additional $1,000 for riding the highest-placing Paint horse, Si Can Do. The finalists in each division are determined by dropping the slowest time of the two go-rounds to reach the top 50. Then, the fastest go-round time of the first two go-rounds and the third go-round time are added with the finals time to determine the winner.
Colt Tew, 12, Belgrade, Montana, won the Youth Division Josey Junior World Championship and a trailer, riding Smooth My Feathers. Photo by Kenneth Springer
Youth
This was only the second year for Tew to compete at the Josey Junior World Championship barrel race. Last year, he had an impressive third-place finish for $1,296.
When asked if he was confident going into the finals, he said, “Yes. My run before that gave me a lot of confidence. I was really happy with my second go-round.”
He also competes on her in team roping and in breakaway roping and enjoys pole bending, steer riding and goat tying.
“She has turned out to be an all-event horse,” said Colt. “I have been riding her for about three years. My mom started her and took her to a few rodeos and I started riding her after about a year. My mom still runs her at pro rodeos every once in while.”
Colt’s mother, Roxie, and father, Clay, buy and train junior rodeo horses. Colt has an older brother, Cody, a younger brother, Casey, 1, and a sister, Caddee, 5. In fact, Caddee was also a winner, placing second in the Stickhorse Race.
“Mom taught me to barrel race when I was about 5 years old,” said Colt. “Now, the other kids are learning to rodeo and mom is teaching Caddee to ride.”
Colt, who has won over $3,000 on Feathers, in 1995 placed sixth at the World Championship Barrel Futurity in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, in the Youth Division for $901. In 1994, he took the reserve championships in the Youth Division at the WBRA Futurity and the Crossroads Classic and placed third at the Borderline Barrel Futurity.
Tara Mulanax was sitting in second place going into the finals and took the lead after stopping the clock at 16.349 for a combined time of 48.761. Although she lost her lead after Colt ran, she captured the Reserve Championship and $3,068.
Other leading finishers were: third, Bailey Wedgeworth, Overton, Texas; fourth, Danni Knutson, Clifton Hill, Missouri; fifth, Lindsey Nixon, Bee Branch, Arkansas; sixth, Jessica Matthews, Logansport, Louisiana; seventh, Kevin Morrisey, Palmdale, California; eighth, Courtney Crofford, Hemphill, Texas; ninth, Conrod Brown, Lexington, Texas; lOth, Hayley Kirkham, Cleveland, Texas; 11th, Michael Wilson, Bullard, Texas; 12th, Cheyenee Gentry, Odessa, Texas; 13th, Jill Welsh, Chino Valley, Arizona; 14th, Kelsey Smith, Decatur, Texas; 15th, Janna Beam, Hallsville, Texas.
The top 20 barrel racers out of 289 entries at the Josey Junior World Championship (1996). Photo by Kenneth Springer
Junior
Destiny Rendek was named the Junior Champion after going into the finals in second place. She ran a time of 16.474 in the first go-round and a 16.956 for third place in the second go-round. After dropping her slowest time and combining it with her third go round time of 16.380, she had a 32.473 going into the finals.
Jessica Perser was leading the event with a fast time of 32.267, but knocked over two barrels in the finals and had to settle for 20th place . Howver, she earned $3,145, only $9 less than the champion. Rendek turned the cloverleaf pattern in 16.437 for a combined time of 48.910.
Kristin Austin didn’t have much luck in the first go-round, but placed eighth in the second go-round for $362 and ran a fast finals time of 16.168 to snag second place. Austin, who calls her horse, Moon Step Up, “Lazy,” attends Santa Fe High School and has been barrel racing for 11 years.
Kari Gurganus, 18, Avon Park, Florida, was the high money winning rider with $4,523 on Reverend Mr Brown after winning the first two go-rounds with times of 16.287 and 16.042, respectively and placed third in the average.
Rendek’s thoughts going into the finals were “just to make a clean run.” Rendek brought a sigh from the crowd when her horse slipped a little bit on the first barrel, but she didn’t give up the race and went for it during the rest of the pattern.
When asked about the slip on the first barrel she said, “I was just hoping she wasn’t hurt.” Her horse, Shy Charlotte, is a sorrel mare by First Divi out of Going Tammy by Go With The Wind and was bred by Ben Rendek, Waco, Texas.
“I run one run at a time and I massage her and take care of her to prepare her for barrel racing,” said Rendek.
Rendek, who wants to put the money she won toward a new truck, attends Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. She plans on attending Texas A&M University to major in veterinary science next year and her goal is to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.
Larae Porterfield, Sparta, Missouri, won the Stickhorse race riding Mighty Mouse at Joseys. Photo by Kenneth Springer
Fourth place in the average was Misty Ramos, Pineville, Louisiana.; fifth, Derek Hale, Uvalde, Texas; sixth, Cami Dewees, Westville, Florida.; seventh, Jennifer Mercer, Lindale, Texas; eighth, Anne Beauboef, Deville, Louisiana.; LeAnn Kay, Joaquin, Texas; lOth, Jennifer Weaver, Vinta, Oklahoma; 11th, Jackie Dube, Giddings, Texas; 12th, Carissa Allred, Hico, Texas; 13th, Vicki Brune, Walker, Louisiana; 14th, Jessica King, Hernando, Mississippi; 15th, Dana Fawcett, Benton, Loiuisiana.
Best dressed winners were: Youth Boy – Kevin Morrisey, 9, Palmdale, California; Youth Girl – Ashlie McCaslin, 10, Acton, California; Junior Boy – B.J. Calcote, 17, Tahlequah, Oklahoma; Junior Girl – Brooke Tiffee, 18, Sonoro, Texas.
The Purina Speech Contest winners were: Jonibeth Gibbs, 9, Sheridan, Arkansas; Darby Bergstrom, 19, Seffner, Florida; Selina Oncale, 18, Thibodaux, Louisiana’ Meghan Wooly, 10, Many, Louisiana; Crystal Walker, 13, Farmington, New Mexico.
The $500 college scholarships were awarded to Regina Cragar, 17, Keithville, Louisiana; Kim Partain, 19, Bullard, Texas; Michelle Mcilrath, 19, Cheyenne, Wyoming; and Amy Hawkins, 19, New Boston, Texas.
The Stickhorse Championship was won by LaRae Porterfield, Sparta, Missouri, On Mighty Mouse with a time of 10.91
