CNFR: BARREL RACING Matthews Made It Count In Casper By Kristen M. White L ike all competitors, Taycie Matthews has experienced the highs and lows of rodeo. She knows how quickly things can change, which is why she said she knows it’s important to enjoy the
successes when they happen. She recently experienced a big one - Matthews captured the College National Finals Rodeo barrel racing title, after finishing as reserve champ last year. Having just completed her junior year at the University of West Alabama and now a WPRA card holder this season, she’s grabbing ahold of whatever rodeo has to offer her. “Rodeo is just so humbling!” Matthews said. “Winning it was so great, and then it’s crazy to be at a high and low so quickly. Since the college finals, I haven’t won anything, it’s been very humbling. I felt pretty confident in my horses when I left the CNFR and then we’ve gone cold. So, I don’t take anything for granted because there might not be another run and so you take all your victories and be thankful for them.” Being the reserve champion at last year’s Finals was somewhat unexpected, Matthews said, because she’d been seventh headed into the short round. So to finish in the second spot was a pleasant surprise. This year, she said she didn’t want to overdo or overthink anything, just let her horse go do her job and work hard for consistency.
Taycie Matthews edge Tayla Moeykens for the barrel racing title at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, WY. Matthews finished with a total time of 55.53 seconds, while Moeykens finished with a 55.85 for the reserve title. Photo by Jackie Jensen
the rodeo). For the third round, she was hoping for another clean run but didn’t want to overthink it and of course wanted to avoid hitting a barrel. “In the later rounds, I definitely felt more pressure to be clean, just be clean!” she said. “And of course, when you put that pressure on yourself, you overthink it, and that’s when you hit a barrel.” Luckily for Matthews, she was able to keep a clear head and pull out another clean run in round three. She stopped the clock in 14.08 seconds, behind Tayla Moeykens in 13.91 seconds. She had a small lead in the average going into the finals, and she tried to block out all the noise - literally and figuratively - prior to her run. “I told myself, if it was meant to be, God has a plan and I’m going to just go with it. I was nervous - I’m not going to lie! - but I gave it to God and put it in His hands,” Matthews said. “It felt like a pretty good run. I was a little close to the first barrel and almost hit it, and my goal all week had been not to hit the first barrel leaving it because my horse snaps back.” They laid down a time of 13.94 seconds, finishing again behind Moeykens in 13.84 seconds, but Matthews edged Moeykens out for the overall win. Matthews had a four-run average time of 55.53 seconds, while Moeykens finished in 55.85 seconds for reserve champion status. With the college title added to her resume, Matthews is enjoying some summer pro rodeo time. In the fall she plans to once again balance school, college rodeo for her senior year and some pro rodeos as well. After finishing 19th in the world last year, Matthews said she’d love to make a run for a National Finals Rodeo berth this year. She recently received a last-minute call that she had gotten into the Calgary Stampede, so she is hoping to cash in big North of the Border in July.
“I just wanted to be clean and let her work, just see how she did in the first run,” Matthews said of her horse, Pop Rocks. “And same in the second, I wanted to be clean, and she was even better than the first round!” Matthews won the first round in 13.77 seconds and improved on her time to win the second round in 13.74 seconds (the fastest time of
Taycie Matthews finished as the top barrel racing student at the College National Finals Rodeo taking home the barrel racing title. In 2022, she finished as reserve champ but in 2023 she improved her grade and went home as champion. Photo by Jackie Jensen
14 WPRA NEWS JULY 2023
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