At 16-years-old, Alee Andrews has won the 2023 Total Feeds 19 & Under Breakaway Championship held in conjunction with the USTRC Cinch National Finals of Team Roping on April 26, with a time of 8.05 seconds on three head.

In a sea of compact, cow-bred breakaway horses, 5 foot 11 Andrews and jet-black, racing-bred gelding “Lover Boy” towered over their competition both literally and figuratively.

For her effort, Andrews took home a total of $6,770, including the $720 she earned in the first go round with the third fastest time of 2.35 seconds. 

Andrews’ day got off to a rocky start when she had a bobble on gelding “Kit Kat,” registered as Little Renita Cat (Neat Little Cat x Ollies Glo x Dual Glo Solano).  

“My mom, Pepper, told me to get my act together and take my first shot next time; quit second-guessing myself” Andrews said. “After that, I placed in the first round [on Lover Boy,] and it went well from there.”

 Hailing from Paris, Texas, Andrews stopped the clock in 2.84 seconds in the second round and 2.86 seconds in the short go, roping from the second high callback position.  

“On my short round calf, I knew what I had to do: just make a good run and be first,” Andrews said. “Someone told me my short round calf wasn’t going to outrun me, so I tried to see him a good ways out, not break the barrier and just go get a good, clean run on him.”

Lover Boy, who is sired by Turnin Cows and out of Natural Enterprise mare TRR Peptos Maiden, is estimated to tip the scales at 1,200 pounds. 

“He’s big; he’s definitely bigger than the average breakaway horse,” Andrews said. “Most people see him and think he’s my brother’s head horse. He’s really scared of everything, but to me, he’s really sweet and he’s got a little heart on his head. I love him. He’s my No. 1 and always will be. He fits me perfectly and never gets short on me.”

As a sophomore in high school who just got her driver’s license, Andrews splits her time between breakaway and basketball—she plays the post position. While she enjoys the basketball court, she says breakaway is what she wants to do when she goes to college. 

“The opportunities in breakaway are just growing and growing,” Andrews said. “They’re adding it to more and more rodeos. It’s exciting. My whole family rodeos. My grandfather is a stock contractor with Andrews Rodeo Company, and rodeo is in our blood.”

Next, Andrews is competing in the breakaway and in goat tying at the Texas High School Rodeo State Finals in Abilene this June. 

USTRC Total Feeds 19 & Under Breakaway Championship Results

Average

1. 8.05         Alee Andrews, $6,050
2. 8.71         Weslynn Reno, $4,504
3. 9.17         Emilee Charlesworth, $3,030
4. 9.18         Kamey Kennemer, $1,520

Round 1

1. 2.07         Rylie Edens, $1,750
2. 2.27         Evann Segura, $1,070
3. 2.35         Alee Andrews, $720

Round 2

1. 2.38         Rylie Edens, $1,780
2. 2.59         Zoey Carpenter, $1,070
3. 2.63         Weslynn Reno, $360
4. 2.63         Avery Foegelle, $360

Fast Time Short Go 

1. 2.97         Colbi Freeman, $1,000