Jodee Miller and M R Im On Fire Guys set a new arena record at the Ellensburg Rodeo to win the second round and average while Summer Kosel and Firewaterfrenchfame win Walla Walla Frontier Days.
Miller and Fuego set a new arena record in Ellensburg, Washington
A 17.50 put Jodee Miller and M R Im On Fire Guys 10th in the first round of Ellensburg. In the second round they ran almost a full second faster, setting a new arena record with a 16.58 and winning $2,724. After their run in the finals, Miller and “Fuego” came out on top of the average with 51.54 seconds on three runs, worth an additional $4,086.
“He had a really good run at Filer the night before and I think was building confidence and we were just starting to put it together,” Miller said. “He’s been solid all summer with some bad runs here and there.”
Miller, who owns and operates M R Performance Horses with her sister Jayme Robison, bought Fuego, bred by Stacy Padilla and sired by the sister’s late stallion French Streaktovegas, as a weanling from the Coats.
“I love all my French Streaktovegas horses,” Miller said. “They all try and are super user friendly and reliable, fast and quick footed, universal horses.”
Fuego was the Reserve Derby Champion at the Barrel Futurities of America World Championship last November, Reserve Derby Champion and 3rd in the Open Average at the The Diamond Classic in April and placed 2nd in the first round of the Ruby Buckle Derby with Miller, who has more than $940,000 in EquiStat lifetime earnings.
“We had a solid, pretty successful first summer out,” Miller added. “I’m looking forward to finishing out with the derbies that are left this year and hopefully getting into all the big winter rodeos next year!”
Kosel and Apollo take home $6,057 in Walla Walla, Washington
After running a 17.06, besting Lisa Lockhart by .01, Summer Kosel and Firewaterfrenchfame win the Walla Walla Frontier Days and add $6,057 to their season earnings.
“Apollo is just kind of his own character,” Kosel said. “God just made him a little bit different and a little bit special this last run. I have just been trying to focus on one at a time and giving everything to God.”
The Glenham, South Dakota barrel racer qualified for their first NFR in 2023 and have a history of breaking records at the Cheyenne Frontier Days. Recently, the pair broke the arena record in Coeur D’alene, Idaho at the Gem State Stampede with a time of 17.16 seconds.
“I try to focus on running the race that God has put before me and glorifying him, we are just going to try to finish out the remainder of our year, look forward to starting strong again next year,” Kosel adds.
Kosel is currently No. 19 in WPRA World Standings.
