Australian girl competes at IFYR
Brandee Ferguson, a 15-year-old from Australia, has traveled thousands of miles to compete at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee.
SHAWNEE — Brandee Ferguson traveled 9,000 miles to Oklahoma for one thing.
To compete at the International Finals Youth Rodeo.
“I just love how competitive it is over here,” Ferguson said. “Everyone is just so into it.”
Ferguson is a 15-yearold from Cloncurry, Australia, a small town of 2,700 people. She’s part of the Australian Junior Rodeo Association, which is run by her mother, Kylee.
The international competitions are new for the group. Kylee started the international portion because she wants the young athletes to have the best chance to compete at the highest level.
“Just seeing the kids miss out on opportunities that (other kids) have over here,” Kylee said. “(I just want) to see them compete against the best in the world.”
The IFYR consists of the best high school rodeo athletes in the world.
It’s Brandee’s first time at IFYR, as she competes in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping.
When Kylee started the international portion for their organization, Brandee jumped at the opportunity.
The AJRA sent a group to the IFYR last year, but Brandee didn’t attend because she was too young.
Once the group returned they raved about their time, and Brandee couldn’t wait to experience the event for herself.
In Australia, Brandee trains every day, or that’s what she tries to do.
With the Australian heat, it can be hard on the horses. But even if she can’t have the horses out, she’s still practicing her roping.
It’s what she’s done since she could walk.
The rodeo life is in her blood.
Her family is chock full of rodeo athletes with her brothers competing in events this week in Australia and Canada. But it all started with her mother, who was Miss Rodeo Australia in 1992.
“She gives me a lot of tips,” Brandee said. “She helps me out quite a bit.”
Once Brandee arrived in Oklahoma, she found two horses she could use for her events. She couldn’t bring her own because of the distance.
Her pole bending event, which is her favorite, took place Tuesday.
As the gates opened, Brandee sped toward the opposite side of the ring, maneuvering her horse so it could squeeze between the first two poles.
The horse made its last turn and it was a sprint toward the finish line.
Brandee looked at the clock as it read 21.225 seconds. It was just threetenths behind being in the top 15.
But as Brandee looked around the stadium, she was still beaming with happiness.
“Just the atmosphere,” Brandee said as a smile came across her face. “You meet so many new people every day and you get opportunities like this.”