Caitlyn White and Mr Soul win the Average title at the Wilderness Circuit Finals in Heber City, Utah on November 7-8. Carlee Otero wins the Year-End title.
At her first Wilderness Circuit Finals, Caitlyn White and 2015 stallion Mr Soul (Furyofthewind x Mckaizlees Kiss x Dash Ta Fame) claimed the average title and $8,084. Only her second year rodeoing with her Women’s Professional Rodeo Association card, White’s goal was just to qualify for the circuit finals.
“We were just out of making the finals last year,” she said. ”The 2025 season was really good to us. He placed at multiple rodeos and added $63,000 to his lifetime earnings this year alone, winning the Gem State Rodeo in Blackfoot, Idaho and Utah’s Own PRCA Rodeo this year. He also broke an arena record for about 15 runners at the Yeti Classic this spring and also ran the fastest time at the Ruby Buckle West race this year.”
White grew up around horses but is the only one in her family that competes. When she was looking for a horse to run, she reached out to her friend Taylor Kramer, who trained and futuritied Mr Soul.
“Mr Soul is owned by John Nielsen and South Valley Equine,” she explained. “I reached out to Taylor to see if she knew of anyone looking for a jockey and that’s when she mentioned Mr Soul, so I reached out to his owner and he let me take him to see how it would go and that’s how we got where we are now.”
In their first run at the circuit finals, Mr Soul tripped and pulled the reins out of White’s hand. Though that didn’t slow them down, still placing third in the round with a 15.63. They ran the exact same time in round two for another third place finish. Anita Ellis and SGL Rico ran the fastest time of the rodeo in round three, a 15.27. White and Mr Soul finished second with a 15.52 and found their way to the top of the average with a time of 46.78 on three runs.
“He is now turned out for the winter and I’ll bring him back next spring to start rodeoing again,” White said. “Hoping I’ll have a good back up for him next year and we can hit more big rodeos. I just have to thank Mr Soul for taking care of us this year, he is so special and means so much to me. Also a big thank you to my husband for all his support, Mr Soul’s owners, South Valley Equine and CV Equine Therapy for helping him stay sound and feeling his best all year.”
First round: 1. McKale Seitz, 15.48 seconds, $2,487; 2. Kimmie Wall, 15.58, $1,865; 3. Caitlyn White, 15.63, $1,244; 4. Anita Ellis, 20.24, $622.
Second round: 1. Carlee Otero, 15.47 seconds, $2,487; 2. Terri Wood Gates, 15.54, $1,865; 3. Caitlyn White, 15.63, $1,244; 4. Haylee Moosman Woodward, 15.69, $622.
Third round: 1. Anita Ellis, 15.27 seconds, $2,487; 2. Caitlyn White, 15.52, $1,865; 3. McKenna Coronado, 15.56, $1,244; 4. Terri Wood Gates, 15.57, $622.
Average: 1. Caitlyn White, 46.78 seconds on three head, $3,731; 2. McKale Seitz, 47.42, $2,798; 3. Anita Ellis, 51.55, $1,865; 4. Terri Wood Gates, 51.77, $933.
