CIRCUIT FINALS: MOUNTAIN STATES BARRELS ENJOYING THE RIDE Kelly Yates Wins Mountain States Average, Earns Berth to NFR Open By Kristen M. White K elly Yates is well versed in the rodeo circuit system. After all, she’s been competing in it for quite literally decades. At this point, the cowgirl from Pueblo, Colorado, said she feels blessed to
continue doing what she loves. This year, that led her to the average victory at the Mountain States Circuit Finals, punching her ticket to the NFR Open which is held “just up the road” in Colorado Springs, only about 50 miles from home. “I was pretty tickled,” she said of the win. “It was a tough one! It’s a tough circuit, so when you make the Mountain States Circuit Finals, you know you’ve done something right.” Yates and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi (who won the year- end title) went neck-and-neck for the average title. The two women were tied headed into the final round, so the title was most definitely up for grabs. Pozzi Tonozzi won the first round in 15.08 seconds, while Yates was just a tick behind in 15.09 seconds. In the second round, they reversed - Yates won in 15.21 seconds, with Pozzi Tonozzi stopping the clock in 15.22 seconds. “I remember letting it just all roll in my third run,” Yates said. “Even if I’d finished second, I would have still gotten to go (to the NFR Open, since Pozzi Tonozzi won the year- end title too) but I knew my horse could outrun the field. I knew she was good and asked her for everything - and she gave it to me.”
Kelly Yates won a hard fought battle for the average title in the Mountain States Circuit edging out Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi for the title. Yates rode Gucci to the title and a spot in the NFR Open in her home state of Colorado. Photo by Tanya Hamner
Yates and her horse, Gucci, clocked a 15.18-second run in the last round to take the win over Pozzi Tonozzi’s 15.27-second round. Pozzi Tonozzi had already run, so Yates knew exactly what she needed to do, and said she and Gucci were ready.
“Sometimes I think it’s the way I ride her, asking her to give me more,” Yates said. “That run she was craving it just as much as I was. She was on it.” Although this is Yates’ first berth to the NFR Open (titled as such, in its current form), she’s no stranger to national circuit finals in the form of the Ram or Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeos. She won her first Mountain States circuit finals title back in 1990, then won again in 2001, 2003, 2010, 2019 and 2020. She is “super excited” about the NFR Open and the chance at some good checks there too. Yates said she was disappointed that she didn’t make enough money from the circuit finals win to get her into some of the bigger winter rodeos, so for now she’ll continue to concentrate on circuit rodeos this season and see where things lead. “I want to do my best and maybe I could win the circuit this year,” Yates said. “I’m very serious in what I do, but I want to have fun and enjoy my horses. I don’t have a goal anymore - in the past I did, but now I just enjoy my life. Life is short and I want to enjoy it while I can, while I’m lucky enough to keep doing this after all these years.” Yates said she loves riding colts and helping younger competitors. She has some up-and-coming horses that she thinks have great horsepower, so she’ll continue to run the pattern as long as she can.
Kelly Yates (second from left) accepts yet another Mountain States Circuit buckle having won her first circuit title in 1990. Photo by Tanya Hamner
14 WPRA NEWS FEBRUARY 2024
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