IPRA champions crowned at IFR55

The International Professional Rodeo Association crowned their world champions at the 55th annual International Finals Rodeo.

After four performances inside the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, OK, the IPRA officially wraps up their 2024 season.

Multi-time champions showed up and showed out in several events. On the other hand, an IPRA rookie won the bull riding title. A tie-down roper from Alabama dominated to win both the average and world title.

The IPRA World Tie-Down Roping Championship unquestionably went to Andrew Burks of Athens, AL. Burk finished the season with $54,178 in season earnings, which is over $23,000 more in earnings than second place.

Burks came into the finals leading the standings by roughly $5,200. Burks went on to win half of the go-rounds, and he laid claim to the average. He started hot, winning two rounds back-to-back. Burks then split second place in Round 3, and he placed third in Round 4.

Kyla Matthews won her third IPRA World Breakaway Roping Championship in a row, with $31,074 in total earnings for the season. Matthews, of Athens, TN, also won the average.

Matthews placed first in Round 2, and she placed fourth in Round 3. The average and go-round money propelled Matthews to her third consecutive IPRA championship.

In another three-peat, Tanner Phipps of Dalton, GA wins his third consecutive IPRA World Bareback Riding Championship. Phipps ends the season with a commanding $68,212 in IPRA earnings.

First place in the bareback average went to Blayn Hughston of McBain, MI, who won in impressive fashion. Hughston won all four go-rounds in a dominating performance. Hughson finishes the season at third place in the world standings.

Kody Rinehart repeated as IPRA World Saddle Bronc Champion. Rinehart, of Rienzi, MS, finished fourth in the average, and he ended the season with $74,773 in earnings. That set a new single-season record for earnings in the regular season.

Rinehart started hot after winning the first round at the IFR, but Spur Montag of Aliquippa, PA gave him a running for his money. Montag finishes the season as reserve world champion.

Timothy Troyer won two go-rounds en route to capturing the average in saddle bronc. Troyer won Round 2, and then he came back to win Round 4. Troyer would finish third in the world standings.

Cody Doescher of Webbers Falls, OK won the IPRA World Steer Wrestling title with a total of $33,084 in earnings. Not only did Doescher win the title in his home state, he won in the same venue where he captured the Timed Event Championship in 2023.

Doescher won Round 3 and then placed second in Round 4. That day money and his fourth place finish in the average helped propel him to a world title.

Matt Fisher of Edwards, ON won the average title in steer wrestling at the IFR. Fisher placed in three go-rounds for a total time of 21.4 on four head. Fisher finishes second in the world standings.

Winners of the world titles in team roping both came into the IFR with quite an impressive lead. Heath King of Leicester, NC won his second consecutive IPRA World title in heading, with $47,953 in earnings for the 2024 season.

King and his heeler, Stephen Britnell of Knoxville, TN, both came into the finals leading in their respective world standings. Britnell won his eighth title as IPRA World Heeling Champion, amassing $48,590 in season earnings.

King and Britnell placed fourth in Round 1, and then they split fourth in Round 2. Even with a broken barrier in Round 3 and a no-time in Round 4, King and Britnell still placed fourth in the average. That further padded their lead in the standings.

King entered the IFR with a comfortable lead in the standings, and Britnell seemingly did too. King won the heading world title by over $8,400, while Britnell won the heeling by almost $2,400. The average race made the heeling side of the world title closer than the heading title.

Jake Wells (of Rainsville, AL) and Bryer Hamilton (Cleveland, TN) won the average. Wells and Hamilton won Round 1, and then in Round 2 they placed second. They suffered a no-time in Round 3, but they placed third in Round 4.

Wells climbed from fifth in the heading standings to finish as reserve champion. Hamilton came in sitting second in the heeling standings, and he also finished as reserve champ.

Rookie Brody Robinson won the IPRA World Bull Riding Championship with $46,653 in earnings. Robinson (of Galax, VA) not only battled the bulls, he battled his way to first place.

Garrett Tribble (of Okemah, OK) came into the finals with a lead in the standings, and Tribble placed first in Round 2. Robinson started chipping away at the lead from the first round.

Robinson placed fourth in Round 1 and third in Round 2. The rookie covered another bull for second place in Round 3. Despite no score in Round 4, Robinson places second in the average. The go-round money and an average check give Robinson the world title.

The IPRA World Barrel Racing Championship belongs to Kindyl Scruggs of Southaven, MS. She came into the finals leading the standing, and she is going home with the world title with $42,154 in season earnings.

IPRA rookie barrel racer Bayleigh Choate (of Cleveland, TN) won the average at the IFR. She won the first go-round, and then she placed fourth in Round 2. Choate went on to place third in Round 3, and she won the final round to clinch the average.

Tanner Lloyd won the IPRA All-Around World Championship with $56,530 in total earnings.