Ryan Jarrett proved age is just a number at the 2024 Prairie Circuit Finals, taking home the year-end and average titles for a total of $6,267 with a time of 28.2 seconds on three head.
Jarrett, 40, is a ProRodeo veteran, qualifying for the NFR 14 times and winning an All-Around World Title in 2005. The Comanche, Oklahoma, cowboy was seated second in the Prairie Circuit standings behind Cash Fuesz prior to the circuit finals.
“It’s always good to get a win,” Jarrett said. “I was told there wasn’t any way I could catch Cash to win the circuit. Catching him and getting the win made it all a little sweeter.”
The Money Breakdown
Fuesz had a $6,147 lead on Jarrett coming into the circuit finals. A tough finals for Fuesz and a third-round win for Jarrett created the perfect storm, allowing Jarrett to take the year-end title.
“I had an ok calf the first round but didn’t win any money,” Jarrett said. “I didn’t get the best go at my second-round calf but ended up fourth. They gave me a dang-sure good calf in the third round, and I won the round.”
Jarrett knew he needed to win the third round to have a shot at the year-end title—and he did just that.
“I was trying to do the math in my head,” Jarrett said. “A buddy of mine pulled up the standings as they were roping and told me if I won the round, I could beat the kid that’s winning it by just a little bit.”
A little bit is right. Jarrett ended up taking the year-end title by only $120.
“My little horse worked so good,” Jarrett said. “I drew a really good calf in the third round and made a good run. I got lucky and they paid me for it.”
The Mount
Jarrett was mounted on a 5-year-old gelding he purchased from Cimarron Boardman this spring.
“I’ve really just been piddling with him,” Jarrett said. “I didn’t take him rodeoing this summer; I just really liked the horse, and I didn’t want to put the miles on him just yet. When we got back home from rodeoing this summer, I put him on the grind. He’s a nice, nice gelding.”
2025 Rodeo Plans
If there’s one thing Jarrett knows it’s that he won’t be spending the summer in his home state of Oklahoma.
“I enjoy rodeoing in the summer,” Jarret said. “It’s so dang hot in Oklahoma during the summer that you want to go somewhere else. My wife, my little girl and I just ease around and enjoy it. If we win some, great. But if we don’t, that’s great too.”
The Jarrett Family
Speaking of the Jarrett family, Jurnee Jarrett, 5, is quite the little cowgirl mounted on her dad’s retired NFR calf horse, “Hoppy.”
“The first time I ever made the NFR, it was on Hoppy,” Jarrett said. “I didn’t get to ride him at the finals because he came up lame, but he got me there. He was a superstar who could really run, and he was what you wanted to ride. When I first cracked out, I wasn’t in the mix, but he was. Several people wanted to get their hands on him, but I decided not to sell him and I’m glad I did because Jurnee gets to enjoy him now.”
