Karsyn Daniels, from McKinney, Texas, won the National Junior High National Finals Barrel Racing Championship for 2017. Out of around 160 girls, and inclement conditions, she and her horse, Muffin, were able to get a total of three clean runs: 15.6, 16.0 and the short to 15.7. “The 16.0 was in the mud, but they took all the mud out and put new dirt in for the short go,” said the 13-year-old who has been chasing cans since she was three. “Muffin handled the ground even though it was raining and muddy. “I went in there going for it and she took care of me and herself and we did good.”
Karsyn got Muffin when she was six and Muffin was five. “One of my mom’s friends had her, and we went to see her and bought her the same day. After I first got her, it went downhill,” she admits. “We took her to 4 time NFR qualifier Michelle McCloud and she had to completely restart her. She was there for a year, and when we got her back, we clicked.” Karsyn has been competing on Muffin for six years and it keeps getting better. “She’s come a long way – and so have I.” Karsyn never gets nervous, but at Nationals, she did. She came back in the number one hole to the short go and just needed a clean run. “I just had to keep all three barrels up and hope that I was fast,” she said. “I was in the lead by a ways and hoping it would hold.” After the run, she had to go do an interview, then pictures, and it was crazy. “I’m still in shock from what happened – there was so much stuff that went on – I just took it all in.” They left the next morning for the 14 hour drive home.
Karsyn can blame her love of rodeo on her parents. “My parents took me to the NFR when I was four and ever since I was there I wanted to rodeo,” said the Texas Junior High competitor who also breakaway ropes. She spends her whole summer on the rodeo trail. “I just get in the truck and go,” she said. “My dad (Jack) drives and my mom (Kristen) is the videographer.” In addition to the TJHRA, she competes in the WPRA and has qualified for the American Semi Finals three times. She rides every day – all of her horses are at home, and she rides about four a day. She will be in 8th grade next year and this is her first year to do junior high rodeo. She was barrel racing a lot and didn’t have time to do junior rodeos. “I got into roping and I wanted to go do that and I thought it would be fun to be around kids my age.” Her roping horse came from the Driver’s, Marty Yates trained him and next year her goals are to make it to Nationals in Breakaway and Barrels and repeat as the champion.
