After a season defined by consistency and confidence, Suzanne Williams closed out 2025 with a dominant showing at the California Circuit Finals—winning every round and the average—to lock up the California Circuit Year-End title.
Williams earned $33,984 on the year, including $10,876 at the Finals alone, where she stopped the clock in 6.8 seconds on three head to win the average.
The wins came on the tail-end of a fairy tail year for Williams, one that saw her advance to the 2025 NFBR in Fort Worth for the first time. And despite the honors, Williams stayed characteristically grounded, crediting preparation, timing and the right horse choice for the week.
Below, she breaks down her approach, her horse decision, and what’s ahead as she turns the page to the 2026 season.
Q: You came into the Circuit Finals with a sizable lead. What was your game plan, especially coming off the NFBR?
Suzanne Williams: I knew somebody would have to do really, really well to catch me—I think I was about $8,500 ahead. So I told myself this was an opportunity to get a boost going into 2026. Coming from the Kimes and then the NFBR, I’d been having to go fast, so I decided not to back off. I treated it like three one-headers and tried to win as much as I could to keep that momentum rolling. It worked.
Q: You opted not to take Ducker to the Finals and rode Flo instead. Walk us through that decision.
Williams: I rode Flo—the same mare I won a round on at the NFBR. Ducker had gone to almost every rodeo with me all year, and he showed he was tired at the NFBR. I felt like it was time to give him a break. Flo had been my backup all year, she was feeling really good and strong, so I decided it was her time to shine and just took her.
Q: Flo ends up winning the average with you. What clicked between the two of you?
Williams: She’s really fast across there and very strong. She’s not as smooth as Ducker, so you have to be aggressive with her or she’ll put you in the backseat—but I like that. We’d hauled a lot together, roped at jackpots in Arizona before the Kimes, and the more I rode her, the better she got. That really solidified my confidence in her.
Q: For those who don’t know, Flo is a calf horse. How does that factor into your program?
Williams: Every horse I ride is a calf horse. Ducker is a very good calf horse—my husband and Cody Stewart have both ridden him at pro rodeos and won on him. Flo was Cody Jones’ calf horse before I got her. She was mainly a calf horse her whole life, and that background really fits my style.
Q: You recently purchased Flo after hauling her all year. What made that decision official?
Williams: I hauled her all year from some really good family friends—Cody and Carrie Jones—and I just didn’t want to start 2026 without her. They’d been great to let me use her, and now getting to own her is even better.
Q: What does this Finals win mean heading into the winter rodeos and 2026 season?
Williams: It’s a huge boost. The Circuit Finals was actually the first 2026 season rodeo I entered, so that money and confidence carry over. I’m headed to Fort Worth in early February, hopefully Houston too, and I’m excited to see if we can keep it rolling a little better than last winter.
Williams’ 2025 California Circuit Finals Results
- Round 1: 2.9 seconds – $2,417
- Round 2: 2.0 seconds – $2,417
- Round 3: 1.9 seconds – $2,417
- Average: 6.8 seconds on three head – $3,625
California Circuit Finals Breakaway Results
First round: 1. Suzanne Williams, 2.9 seconds, $2,417; 2. (tie) Kaitlyn Andersen, Kate Branco and Jillian Murray, 3.2, $1,208 each.
Second round: 1. Suzanne Williams, 2.0 seconds, $2,417; 2. Kaitlyn Andersen, 2.2, $1,813; 3. (tie) Sutton Mang and Jillian Murray, 2.8, $906 each.
Third round: 1. Suzanne Williams, 1.9 seconds, $2,417; 2. Grace Perez, 2.1, $1,813; 3. Rylee A George, 2.9, $1,208; 4. (tie) Sutton Mang and Kylyn Watkins, 3.2, $302 each.
Average: 1. Suzanne Williams, 6.8 seconds on three head, $3,625; 2. Kaitlyn Andersen, 8.7, $2,719; 3. Jillian Murray, 9.8, $1,813; 4. Sutton Mang, 10.0, $906.
