It Runs in the Family – from bareback to barrel racing

It Runs in the Family

Laramie Girty has been competing at the International Finals Youth Rodeo for three years. This year is a special year as she gets to be part of the Hall of Fame induction ceremony of her brother, Justin McDaniel. “I’m proud of him. He gives me good advice and I pester him and tell him I’m going to be better than him at bareback riding if mom and dad would give me a chance. My mare always bucks with me, so I always tell him that I can outride him.”

The 17-year-old from Porum, Okla., competes in barrels and poles and favors the barrel racing because she and her horse, Nugget, are better at it. “I’ve had him since I was six, we are the same age together,” she said. Laramie started competing when she was three. “Justin would lead line me when I was little in the barrels,” she recalls. Her brother, Tanner, competed as well and she grew up watching Justin compete. She was four when she started competing on her own. Along with rodeo, Laramie plays basketball, where she is a starter, and track. She will graduate next year with a class of 30. She likes to hang out with friends and swim at the nearby lakes and cliffs.

Her goals for the future include going to college at Connors first for her basics and then OSU to become a vet. “I want to be a general vet.” She also wants to fill out her permit for the WPRA and make the Finals. “I’m training this mare that I have right now and she’s bred to run. Impressive and Dash for Cash.”  Training her mare is something that has come natural to her. “I trained my horse now and some other horses. I have a gift for it – it happens. I like doing it, so it doesn’t bother me to go out there and work. I call Justin’s girlfriend, Blazi, who runs barrels, and she helps me.” She’s sitting in the middle of the pack for this year’s IFYR and is looking forward to the hitting the road for the rest of the summer. She competes in barrel races and open rodeos around Oklahoma and Texas.

Laramie is the daughter of Janie, who works at the Post Office and Tony, who does construction work. They were all present for the induction ceremony held on July 9. Justin was unable to be in Shawnee for the induction as he was competing in Calgary, currently sitting sixth after 8 perfs. Justin competed in the IFYR in 2003 and 2004, winning back to back bareback championships and the All Around title in 2004. “It’s been 10 years,” he said from Calgary. “The IFYR is great stepping stone. That was the biggest thing at the time and means as much as any championship.” He qualified for the IFR when he was 16, in bulls. He went back the next year, 2004, and rode all four bulls won the average. That was the same two years he won the bareback title in IFYR. The 4x NFR qualifier and 2008 Bareback Champion still shares the arena record with Will Lowe that record was set in 2007 riding Delta Ship in round 3of the NFR. His recent win in Reno brought this cowboy over the $1 Million mark.

His sign is proudly displayed in the town: Home of 2008 World Champion Bareback Rider. “My sign is going to be above his soon,” said Laramie.

Shawnee Youth Rodeo
International Finals Youth Rodeo 2014
Place Back # Name
Top 15 in GO 2 (Incomplete)

PoleBending

Place

Back#         Name

Score/Time           Team

15-20

778              KIRBIECROUSE                                2.9

GALLATIN,MO

GoatTying

CalfRoping

SteerWrestling

SteerWrestling

SaddleBronc

BarebackBronc

BullRiding

BullRiding

TeamRoping

TeamRoping