Aimee Getget entered the First Frontier Circuit Finals outside the top 10 in the year-end standings, only to rise to the occasion, clinching the average with a time of 9.1-seconds on three head and year-end championship with $11,259.
For the 22-year-old from Etters, Pennsylvania, winning the year-end was a total surprise. Called “Catchin Getgen” among her peers, Getget was wholly focused on rounding up the average title on mare “Martini” during her third trip to the First Frontier Circuit Finals.
The Breakaway Roping Journal caught up with Getget following her big weekend in Harrisburg.
BRJ: Tell us a little about your nickname “Catchin Getgen”
AG: “I guess the girls think I’m always catching. I’m usually there—like placing or just outside of it. I’m always trying to keep the heat on them. It’s tough out there, you have to be pushing it.”
What was the circuit season like for you this year?
This year making the Circuit Finals came to the last rodeo. I’m in nursing school, I graduated in December, so I couldn’t go to everything I wanted to. We went to Maine last minute because I was kind of on the outside looking in. I placed on my last calf at that rodeo to get in by less than $300.
It’s hard with us losing Cowtown, because the only other [regular] rodeo is the Painted Pony, and that’s a seven-hour drive.
What was your strategy at the Circuit Finals?
I knew there was a couple runners in that pen, but I had ended up just drawing good calves. We got to see them go Wednesday night, so we had an idea of what they were. I just tried to stay behind the barrier. It was four-under so it was pretty short. I was just trying to get by in the first two runs and then take the first show I had in Round 3. I was 3.1, 3.6 and 2.4 seconds on my runs.
When did you figure out you’d won the year-end? Did you know after you roped your last calf?
No, I had no idea. I wasn’t calculating it at all. I knew I had the average, and I went to the catch pen to get my rope and Shawn Graham who owns the Painted Pony Rodeo told me I was his sleeper because he had bought me on his rodeo fantasy rodeo team. He asked me if I won the year-end, and I said ‘Oh no, I just won the average.’ But then I went back and got on the buggy to do the victory lap, and Emily Fabian told me that I had bumped her for the year-end. She’s going to go to Colorado Springs with me and I am so grateful for her.
What horse were you riding at the Circuit Finals?
That’s a seven year-old mare we call Martini. We bought her as a yearling off of Donna Kennard who owns the All American Rodeo stock contractor. So, I put her first ride on her and trained her at home. She’s been my main horse for the last three years now. She just came along really good. She’s just been an outstanding horse. She was pretty little until she was 3, and then the end of her 4-year-old year we were roping on her at jackpots and stuff.
She’s quiet and nothing gets her worked up. She’s a low headed mare cause she’s really heavy reining bread. I don’t her in a tie down. I just ride her in a Kerry Kelley mullen bit. She’s really honest and true—she’s not going to take a shot away from you.
Tell us a little bit about your support system.
My parents Denise and Scott are the biggest support system. They do everything they can try to help me, and I have some great sponsors as well; Xtreme Shock Energy, Willard Rope Company and Arnold Equine.
2024 First Frontier Circuit Finals Results
First round: 1. Emily Fabian, 2.9 seconds, $2,513; 2. Anna Poorbaugh, 3.0, $1,885; 3. Aimee Getgen, 3.1, $1,257; 4. Cheyenne Chamberlain, 3.7, $628.
Second round: 1. Sierra Clement, 3.0 seconds, $2,513; 2. Anna Poorbaugh, 3.4, $1,885; 3. (tie) Aimee Getgen and Paige Pursel, 3.6, $942 each.
Third round: 1. Aimee Getgen, 2.4 seconds, $2,513; 2. Cheyenne Chamberlain, 3.6, $1,885; 3. Brianna Waltz, 5.3, $1,257; no other qualified runs.
Average: 1. Aimee Getgen, 9.1 seconds on three head, $3,770; 2. Anna Poorbaugh, 6.4 on two head, $2,827; 3. Cheyenne Chamberlain, 7.3, $1,885; 4. Brianna Waltz, 10.3, $942.
