RODEO NEWS

Mayes Makes Most of First Year in the WPRA

By Ann Bleiker

The Resistol Rookie of the Year title is a prestigious award because individuals only have one shot at winning it and it is won in an athlete’s first year competing on the professional level. This year’s barrel racing winner was Makenzie Mayes from Scroggins, Texas. She attended 96 rodeos and collected a total of $83,911 to land atop the rookie standings.

“It was awesome,” Mayes said about winning the barrel racing rookie title. “It was definitely something different as before this year I had never left home for more than a week, so going on the road for four months was pretty hard. It is an award I have always wanted to win, so I waited until the time was right for me and I had the right horses. It is something you only get one shot at, so was pretty awesome to win it.”

Mayes, 21, called upon her 7-year-old sorrel mare Chicado Moon “Rousey” and her 6-year-old grey mare Kita Rita “Rita” to capture the title. Both are by Guys Canyon Moon. Rousey was bought by Mayes’ aunt from Jolene Montgomery as a two-year-old, while Rita just joined the Mayes barn in January from Mike and Kellie Sokol.

“Both mares are truly awesome,” noted Mayes. “Rousey won the most. She is my main girl, but Rita really stepped up for me and did really well. She did awesome at Pendleton, and I am very thankful for both those mares.”

When Mayes was asked what rodeo stood out the most to her during her first year on the rodeo trail, she put the Pendleton Roundup at the top of the list.

“I really liked Pendleton,” she said. “Everyone is kind of scared of Pendleton, but I thought it was really fun.”

Mayes and Emma Parr were in a tight race during the summer months for the rookie title but in the end, Mayes took the title with just over a $15,000 cushion thanks to late season wins in Kennewick, Washington, co-champion at Walla Walla, Washington and sixth in Pendleton. Early in the season she finished second at the Resistol Rookie Roundup (won by Parr) and won the new rodeo in Nashville, Tennessee.

“I just tried to do my own thing because sometimes I think you can overthink it when you look at the standings too much,” stated Mayes when asked if she kept an eye on the standings throughout the season. “I just tried to make every run on my horses count and do the best that I could do.”

In addition to the title, Mayes finished 24^th in the world standings opening more doors for her in 2026.

“Our goal was to be in the top 30 as I think my little mare will really excel at the building rodeos in the winter,” Mayes noted. “I am pretty excited about getting to go to the big rodeos next year. My ultimate goal is to make NFR and getting into the big rodeos will definitely help that goal.”

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