The College National Finals Rodeo kicked off June 15 in Casper, Wyoming. Nearly 400 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association athletes from colleges and universities across the country are spending their week in Wyoming. The final performance held Saturday, June 21 will crown the 2025 national champions. All athletes compete in three rounds of competition and the top 12 cumulative scores or times advance to championship Saturday. The first round slack is Monday June 16 and the second round slack is Tuesday June 17. Round three begins Tuesday evening and runs through Friday evening, spread over four rodeo performances.
Follow along here for all the 2025 CNFR barrel racing results, updates and stories.
Acey Pinkston and Streakinfrenchbullet Win CNFR and Barrel Racing Championship
Southwest Texas College’s Acey Pinkston had a dream-worthy College National Finals Rodeo. Riding her great horse Streakinfrenchbullet, she won the barrel racing title. Pinkston’s run in the Saturday night finals was the fastest of the whole rodeo and the only one under 14 seconds. She won the finals and the overall title to help her teammates earn the women’s team championship.
Pinkston, the final barrel racer to run, had the fastest barrel racing time of the entire rodeo on Saturday night when she took her gelding “Bullet” around the pattern in 13.90 seconds. She was the only barrel racer to stop the clock in under 14 seconds. The duo turned in a consistent showing all week, with times of 14.03, 14.29, 14.01 in preliminary competition. She had a total of 56.23 on four runs compared to 56.89 by Taycie Phalen from Dickinson State University who finished second.
Acey Pinkston and Streakinfrenchbullet Win Round Three
Anneliese McCurry and Blazin Summer Shandy Win Round Two
Acey Pinkston and Streakinfrenchbullet Win Round One
JUNE 16, 2025 (CASPER, WYOMING) — A small college in Uvalde, Texas, made their presence known at the CNFR on Monday. Southwest Texas College (SWTC) has a student body of less than 6,000. Of those, approximately 40 are involved with the rodeo team. Seven team members did well enough in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Southern Region to qualify for the CNFR. Coach Joey Almand has a lot to be proud of after their performance in the Ford Wyoming Center on Monday.
Barrel racers from SWTC got an early start with two women topping the leaderboard. Acey Pinkston who graduated last month finished first with a 14.03 aboard her 12-year-old gelding Streakinfrenchbullet (French Streaktovegas x Lonesome Buck Bar x Sunnys Buck Bar) aka “Bullet.” Pinkston is a two-time CNFR qualifier and the 2025 Southern Region Barrel Racing champion. It’s not the first time this dynamic duo has competed at the CNFR, but it was definitely the best.
“He was absolutely flawless today,” Pinkston said. “I didn’t think he liked it here in the past, but today he proved me wrong. He just keeps getting better.”
Pinkston is ranked 26th in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association after having success at Rodeo Houston in March. She also qualified for the upcoming Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada, and when she left home for the CNFR, it was the beginning of a journey she hopes will take her to many more wins, and possibly qualify her for the National Finals Rodeo.
Pinkston also got to watch her teammate, Natalie Ramirez, who qualified for her first CNFR, finish second in the barrels on Monday with a 14.24-second run. Then, SWTC freshman Tyler Calhoun won the first round of tie-down roping in 8.3 seconds.
2025 CNFR Barrel Racing Results:
Round One: 1) Acey Pinkston/Southwest Texas College/14.03; 2) Natalia Ramirez/Southwest Texas College/14.24; 3) Hailey Witte/Fort Hays Community College/14.37; 4) Emma Ricke/Southeastern Oklahoma State University/14.38; 5) Brylee Grubb/Gillette College/14.43; 6) Jordan Driver/Tarleton State University/14.45; 7) Adyson Wright/Treasure Valley Community College/14.47; 8) Emma Hensen/Fresno State University/14.48.
Round Two: 1) Anneliese McCurry/Montana State University/14.08; 2)Arabella Cook/South Dakota State University/14.10; 3) Laura Haight/University of Montana-Western/14.13; 4) Tycie Phalen/Dickenson State University/14.15; 5) Hailey Witte/Fort Hays Community College/14.22; 6) Brylee Grubb/Gillette College/14.23; 7) Morgan Bagnell/Oklahoma State University/14.24; 8) Jessica Krambeer/New Mexico State University/14.25.
Round Three: 1) Acey Pinkston/Southwest Texas College/14.01 seconds; 2) Adyson Wright/Treasure Valley Community College/14.09; 3) Maklee Larsen/Utah State University Eastern/14.12. 4) Laney Hoffman/Southeast Oklahoma State University/14.13. 5) Jayci Byler/Sam Houston State University (Texas)/14.14. 6)Tycie Phalen/Dickenson State College (N.D.)/14.15. 7) Emma Ricke/Southeastern Oklahoma State University/14.20. 8) Casey Mathis/Southeastern Oklahoma State University/14.26.
Finals Qualifiers: 1) Pinkston/42.33; 2) (tie) Wright and Ricke/42.86. 4) Phalen/42.89. 5) Grubb/42.95. 6) Mathis/43.06. 7) Byler/43.19. 8) Anneliese McCurry/Montana State University/43.25. 9) Larsen and Annie Alexander/New Mexico State University/43.69. 11) Emma Jenson/Fresno State University/43.73. 12)Braylee Ward/Southwestern Oklahoma State University/43.84.
Short Go: 1) Acey Pinkson, Southwest Texas College, 13.90 seconds. 2) Tycie Phalen, Dickenson State University (N.D.), 14.00. 3) Adyson Wright, Treasure Valley Community College, 14.04. 4) Brylee Grubb, Gillette College, 14.08
Average: (total on 4): 1) Pinkston, 56.23. 2) Phalen, 56.89. 3) Wright, 56.90. 4) Emma Ricke, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 56.97. 5) Grubb, 57.03. 6) Casey Mathis, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 57.51. 7) Jayci Byler, Sam Houston State University (Texas), 57.69. 8) Anneliese McCurry, Montana State University, 57.72.
Men’s All-Around: 1, Brad Moreno, New Mexico State University. 2, Jace Mayfield, Central Wyoming College.
Women’s All-Around: 1. Haiden Thompson, Gillette College. 2, Jordan Driver, Tarleton State University (Texas).
Men’s Rookie of the Year: 1, Trace Scarlavai, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.). 2, Tyler Calhoun, Southwest Texas College.
Women’s Rookie of the Year: 1, Adyson Wright, Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.). 2, Brylee Grubb, Gillette College.
Men’s Team Champions: 1, Tarleton State University (Texas), 817.5 points.. 2, Missouri Valley College, 567.5. 3, University of Montana Western, 550. 4, Casper College, 507.5.
Women’s Team Champions: 1, Southwest Texas College, 445. 2, Tarleton State University, 435. 3, Gillette College, 425. 4, East Texas A&M University, 312.5.
