Kindyl Scruggs claims International Professional Rodeo Association World Championship, while Bayleigh Choate wins IFR aggregate.
The International Professional Rodeo Association wrapped up its 2024 season January 16-19 in Guthrie, Oklahoma at the Lazy E Arena. In 2023, the association announced its acquisition by Rodeo Logistics.
“We are very proud of what the IPRA has built over the last 65 years,” IPRA General Manager, Dale Yergian said in a new release. “While the IPRA has grown and flourished during this period, the board of directors of the IPRA, together with Rodeo Alliance, have determined that the IPRA and its members will benefit immensely from this acquisition. Under its leadership, we believe Rodeo Logistics will grow and enhance the IPRA immediately and far into the future.”
Since the acquisition the association has upped the game for IPRA athletes including increased payout for its world championship event — the International Finals Rodeo.
Another partnership which has proved beneficial for the contestants is the partnership with the World Champions Rodeo Alliance and the IPRA. Since 2020, the two associations have co-sanctioned events together and up to $10,000 of WCRA earnings count toward IPRA world standings. In order to be IPRA eligible, athletes who competed in WCRA events must have been IPRA members prior to the start of competition and competed in more than 10 IPRA events in 2024 for their WCRA earnings to count towards 2024 IPRA world standings.
Kindyl Scruggs Wins IPRA World Championship
It was a long road to the world championship for Kindyl Scruggs of Southaven, Mississippi. Scruggs kicked off the year taking advantage of the WCRA and IPRA partnership by nominating those WCRA events she was already attending. Scruggs and her 2014 gelding Melrose Chrome were having an impressive season starting the year in January 2024 with a $10,000 paycheck at the WCRA Stampede at The E.
“I basically started with a $10,000 head start,” Scruggs said. “Honestly, to win the world wasn’t my goal at all. My goal was to go to as few rodeos as I could and win as much money as possible.”
She did just that from the start of the season. In May 2024 Scruggs and “Chrome” earned the $60,000 Women’s Rodeo World Championship inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Although the earnings didn’t count toward IPRA earnings it set Scruggs up to accomplish her goal early in the season and take some pressure off as they continued the year.
Even with the added momentum the early-season wins gave Scruggs and Chrome as they entered the heavy part of the summer rodeo season she stayed true to her goal of a limited hauling schedule from Chrome.
“I was just trying to keep my horse fresh all year, which is hard to do with as many rodeos as you can go to,” Scruggs said.
Together, Scruggs and the 11-year-old gelding who’s by First Place Texas and out of Crownroyalmercedes, who’s by Krimps Elmer, went on to earn more than $32,000 at IPRA rodeos.
Unfortunately, in September Chrome sustained a torn hamstring which required surgery and ended his season.
“He was off September through the end of November, and then we started getting him back in shape,” Scruggs said. “He’s all completely healed and I don’t have a reason to be in a rush, so we’re just taking it slow, but he’s sound and he’s good.”
Thankfully, with a positive outlook for her $87,000 EquiStat earning mount, Scruggs was able to relax and focus on the IFR with help from backup horses loaned to her by friends.
For the last part of the 2024 season Scruggs stepped on 2011 mare Woodb Streaking Lil (Woodbridge x Shootin Tootin Party x Shoot Yeah), who’s owned by Jimmy Leek, while Chrome was out. “Lil” has garnered more than $63,000 in EquiStat reported lifetime earnings between futurity trainer Molli Montgomery during her futurity career and then with Dusty Pike from 2016 to 2024.
Then, in the early part of 2025 and for the IFR Scruggs borrowed hauling partner Erica McDonald’s 2012 gelding Ragotti (Agouti x Rush Rush x Beduino (TB)), who’s owned by Jane Griffin.
“I took them both, because Lil is a little tighter and I didn’t want to run her in the same pen four times,” Scruggs said. “When I got her in October she’s a 14-year-old mare that has only been to futurities and barrel races and had never been to a rodeo. My expectations were pretty low in the beginning, but she’s one of those ones if you keep the barrels up you’re going to have a chance to win something.”
Admittedly, took a little time for Scruggs and Lil to get together as a team, however once they did she was able to add $4,000 to Scruggs’ 2024 season earnings prior to the IFR.
For Rounds One and Two of the IFR Scruggs ran Ragotti and turned in times of 16.431 and 21.890, respectively. In Rounds Three and Four she ran Lil and turned in times of 16.364 for fourth place and $926 and 16.513 to finish seventh in the aggregate, which was just out of a money paying position. Still, her lead in the world standings held through to earn Scruggs her career-second IPRA World Championship.
“If I hadn’t had Lil I wouldn’t have won the world,” Scruggs said. “I think I won the world by $2,200 and I won $925 on her in the Finals and $4,000 those last couple of months. I’m really grateful for the way it ended.”
Even through the hardships of the season Scruggs is grateful for those who allowed her to finish the year aboard horses capable of winning on those stages. Plus, Chrome was honored as the IPRA Barrel Racing Horse of the Year.
“The circumstances really didn’t seem to be in my favor. I didn’t have a backup horse of my own, but when it’s God’s time he’s going to make it happen no matter what,” Scruggs said. “That’s definitely how I thought it was going to end based on those last couple of months after having such a great year, but I think when it’s your turn, it’s your turn and I’m grateful it was.”
Bayleigh Choate Wins IFR 55
Bayleigh Choate went into IFR 55 on a mission. The IPRA rookie made a resounding statement through four rounds to ultimately claim the aggregate title, plus two round wins. She moved from No. 9 in the IPRA world standings with $16,742 in season earnings to No. 5 in the world with $34,335.
While Choate might be a rookie in the IPRA, she’s definitely not a rookie to professional rodeo. Choate qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in 2022 with TJR Stinson Blue and the gelding has continued to show up for Choate inside the arena. Choate and “Boozer” have been together since the now 8-year-old since he was a 3-year-old competing in futurities before moving straight to professional rodeos as a 4-year-old.
“He’s been so solid since he started,” Choate said. “I’ve never been as in sync with a horse as I am with him. I cannot speak highly enough of boozer he never lets me down.”
Boozer and Choate have earned more than $178,766 in EquiStat lifetime earnings including paychecks from events like the Barrel Futurities of America World Championships, the WCRA Corpus Christi Major Rodeo, and the NFR.
Choate took a brief hiatus from professional rodeo after her NFR qualification in 2022, but the WCRA and the IPRA have provided her with a unique opportunity to still get the chance to pro rodeo while traveling to limited rodeos, yet still have a chance to run at profitable payouts.
“I took a break from rodeo for a little while, because I was super burned out,” Choate admitted. “I have a really good horse and I don’t like to run his legs off. Every time that we asked him to show up he does, so I take that into consideration knowing that these horses don’t come around very often, so I cherish that.”
Choate and Boozer kicked off IFR 55 making a statement inside the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie. They turned in a 16.150 to top the round and immediately put money on the board.
They went on to place in every round and earned a total of $11,111. In Round Two they turned in a 16.449 for fourth place and $926. In Round Three they finished third with a 16.319 for $1,852, and they were back on top of the field in Round Four sharing the fastest time of the event with a 16.073 to top the round and earn $3,704. The other 16.073 was turned in by Emily Williams in Round Three, also worth $3,704.
“I took a break from rodeo for a little while, because I was super burned out,” Choate admitted. “I have a really good horse and I don’t like to run his legs off. Every time that we asked him to show up he does, so I take that into consideration knowing that these horses don’t come around very often, so I cherish that.”
RESULTS
Round One: 1) Bayleigh Choate/16.150/$3,703.70; 2) Cari Titsworth/16.172/$2,777.78; 3) Nicole Helm/16.269/$1,851.85; 4) Taylor Finley/16.376/$925.93.
Round Two: 1) Brandie Inman/16.118/$3,703.70; 2) Josie Thompson/16.146/$2,777.78; 3) Taylor Finely/16.308/$1,851.85; 4) Bayleigh Choate/16.449/$925.93.
Round Three: 1) Emily Williams/16.073/$3,703.70; 2) Brandie Inman/16.276/$2,777.78; 3) Bayleigh Choate/16.319/$1,851.85; 4) Kindyl Scruggs/16.364/$925.93.
Round Four: 1) Bayleigh Choate/16.073/$3,703.70; 2) Cari Titsworth/16.279/$2,777.78; 3) Brandie Inman/16.356/$1,851.85; 4) Josie Thompson/16.452/$925.93.
Average: 1) Bayleigh Choate/64.991/$7,407.41; 2) Brandie Inman/65.179/$5,555.56; 3) Josie Thompson/65.440/$3,703.70; 4) Cari Titsworth/65.447/$1,851.85
World Standings: 1) Kindyl Scruggs/$42,154.96; 2) Taylor Finley/$38,943.67; 3) Josie Thompson/$34,689.81; 4) Brandie Inman (Rookie)/34,370.40; 5) Bayleigh Choate(Rookie)/34,334.61; 6) Julie Goodrich/33,430.28; 7) Mariel Sanders (Rookie)/ 29,514.58; 8) Julie Thomas/27,044.98; 9) Cari Titsworth/26,062.41; 10) Emily Williams/23,797.58; 11) Nicole Helm/19,680.86; 12) Mary Brooks/18,655.62; 13) Kelly Turgeon (Rookie)/17,908.73; 14) Ashley Ketron/17,663.98; 15) Mairika Morin (Rookie)/ 17,366.98.
This article was originally published in the March 2025 issue of Barrel Horse News.
