McNeese State goat tyer Kamryn Duncan is competing with a heavy heart at the CNFR (2024)

Kamryn Duncan has an angel watching over her at this year’s College National Finals Rodeo.

The five-time CNFR qualifier and four-time competitor at the college finals in goat tying is at the Ford Wyoming Center for the first time without her biggest supporter. Duncan’s great aunt, Diana Walkowiak, passed away earlier this year.

“I’m doing this for my nanny,” Duncan said Tuesday morning. “This is the first time I’ve ever had to experience nationals without her, although I know she’s here in spirit this year.”

“She and my grandma used to go to all of the rodeos together. When I was a freshman in high school my granny passed away, but my nanny still kept coming to the rodeos. She was like another grandma to me. Her and my mom went to every college rodeo, every high school rodeo, every junior high rodeo. She was the biggest part of my life.”

Despite competing with a heavy heart, Duncan has excelled this season. She finished second in the Southern Region in goat tying and has been even better this week in Casper.

Duncan had back-to-back 6.2-second runs to finish second in both the first and second go-rounds. She also was second in the average with a two-run time of 12.4 seconds behind Tarleton State’s Rayme Jones, who had a 12.2.

The 23-year-old has had success in the arena before. Two years ago Duncan and Maddee Doerr of Cochise College tied for the average title.

“I truly believe the difference for me this year and in past years, even the year that I split the championship with Maddee Doerr, is having people around me that believe in me and that push me,” Duncan said. “I’m prepared, so I know that whatever happens I’ve given 110 percent and the outcome is not in my hands.

“My coach, Justin Browning, and his wife, Angie Browning, have been a huge part of my mental game and my practice in getting to this point,” she added. “It is the college national finals, but if you put all that pressure on yourself you can overthink it, so they remind me that I have to treat this like just another practice run.”

Duncan’s next “practice run” comes Friday night. If all goes well, she’ll have one more run in Saturday’s short go.

When Duncan backs into the box on TC, she knows she can look over her left shoulder for inspiration.

“My nanny always sat in the same seat and it’s over there in section 109,” Duncan said, pointing to a section just to the left of the timed event box. “I know exactly where she sat, so if I ever need a little peace I just look up there because I know she would be happy for me to be here. And I know she’s still here with me.”

Tie-down roping

Koby Douch has learned from the best. Now the Hill College tie-down roper is chasing something his mentors never got to experience — a CNFR national championship.

The younger brother of three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier John Douch, and a lifetime protege of ProRodeo Hall of Famer Joe Beaver, an eight-time world champion, Koby Douch is setting the tie-down standard at this year’s college finals.

The 19-year-old freshman was leading the average after two go-rounds with a two-run time of 18.1 seconds. Douch finished fifth in the first go with a 9.6 and was fifth in the second go with an 8.5.

“This is my next chapter,” Douch said after his run Tuesday morning. “What I’ve been telling myself about (the CNFR) is win what I can win and get by what I can get by.

“What I mean by that is today I had a calf that kind of ran a little harder and she wanted to kick and push yesterday on the ground. I just told myself, if she lets me win I’m gonna do that, and if she don’t I’m just gonna get by.”

Douch admits he was battling nerves Monday when he was the first tie-down roper to compete.

“Monday was a little nerve-wracking for me because I’ve never been here,” he said. “But the horse I’m riding makes my job so much easier. His name is Dumplin’ and he comes from Daniels Ranch down in Okeechobee, Florida. I’ve been riding Dumplin’ off and on for eight or nine years. I started riding him when I was in middles school and we just clicked.”

The two hope to click two more times this week, once on Friday night in his third go and the other in the short go Saturday.e’ call his brother and Beaver before each run and will continue to take their advice to heart.

“They just tell me, win what you can win and get by what you can get by,” he said. “Keep thinking. Keep working. And keep moving forward.”

Breakaway roping

Haleigh Grant of Cal Poly SLO had a 1.8-second run — the fastest time of the week — to win the second go. Texas A&M teammates Madison Outhier and Madalyn Richards tied for second with runs of 2.0.

University of West Alabama’s Lauren Booty was the average leader through two gos with a two-run time of 4.2 seconds, followed by Richards with a 4.3.

Steer wrestling

Northwestern Oklahoma State’s Trisyn Kalawai’a won the second go with a 3.7 and led the average with a two-run time of 8.5 seconds.

Utah Valley University’s Sam Carson, who was sixth in the second go with a 4.6, was second in the average with a 9.1.

Team roping

The team ropers stepped up their game Tuesday, with 24 of the 50 teams recording a time. That was 10 more than Monday.

James Arviso of Hill College and Kaden Profili of Texas A&M won the second go with a 4.1-second run — the fastest of the week. That had the pair second in the average with a two-run time of 15.5 seconds.

Trey Hughes of San Angelo College and Caden Tinsley of Ranger College were atop the leader board with a 15.1.