NLBRA World Champion Little Wrangler: Braylin Barratt

Nine-year-old Braylin Barratt is the proud owner of two world champion saddles, buckles, and numerous awards including her new favorite purple felt hat after her hard work paid off at the 2023 NLBRA Finals. “I was really surprised and I was excited!” says the cowgirl from Cheraw, Colorado. She went into the Finals leading the world all-around in the Little Wranglers and held onto the lead, while also winning the goat tail untying. “Going in, the goat untying was probably her worst event, but she had three great runs there,” says Braylin’s mom, Amber Barratt. “Braylin had practiced a ton on her get off and wraparound, and she did a good job getting it done at the Finals. I’ve had my two other kids going into the Finals number one in the World and then have a bad round and lose the title, so it was nice to see that finally pay off.”
The 2023 Finals marked Braylin’s third time competing in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where she competed in all of the Little Wrangler events. Her 14-year-old brother, Maverick, and 13-year-old sister, Bristyl, each competed in five events. The siblings are the second generation in their family to compete in the NLBRA. Their mom rodeoed in Little Britches and encouraged them to rodeo when they were old enough. It continues to be a family affair, with their mom and dad, Josh Barratt, helping them practice. Their horses and arena are on their grandparents’ ranch, where they rope and ride daily, and where Josh starts colts and trains cutting horses. Braylin’s Nana and Papa, Dayla and Richard Elliott, have run the ranch for more than 50 years, and support the grandkids in all their rodeo pursuits.
“Little Britches is family oriented. We can all be there together competing towards the same goals, especially with boys and girls where sports are usually split, like the boys do football and the girls do volleyball,” says Amber. “Everyone is there as a family, and are good, honest people. It’s nice to go where people believe in the Lord and pray before every performance. And most rodeos we go to do church services on Sundays, so that is nice too.”
Braylin just moved up to the junior girl division and now competes in pole bending, barrel racing, goat tying, breakaway roping, and trail course, which is her new favorite event. She competes on three ponies, Grey Pony, Goose, and Gus Gus. “I help my Nana get eggs, and I drive the feed cart for my dad, grain horses, and I clean pens for my dad and turn back for him for his cutting,” says Braylin. She and her family also help care for their practice goats, calves, and steers.
Along with rodeo, Braylin stays busy attending Cheraw School. A fourth grader, she especially likes math, where they are studying rounding up numbers currently. She and her brother and sister have a very short walk to school, and Braylin likes to spend her free time with her friends or playing volleyball. Their mom owns and runs a t-shirt screen printing and embroidery business just across the street from their school.
Braylin is working hard to qualify for the NLBRA Finals again in all her events. “I want to get better at roping and faster at tying like my sister—and beat my sister this year. And I want to thank my mom, dad, sister, brother, Nana, Papa, and the Lord.”