Oakdale, California, cowgirl Rylee George conquered the legendary California Rodeo Salinas breakaway roping with a 13.8-second total on three head, walking away with $8,874 and the coveted Salinas buckle.
Known for its long score and unique use of the heading box, the setup in Salinas demands more horsepower and precision—and George delivered, riding Liz Hirdes’ “Walkin The Dog,” known as “Louie.”
We caught up with George and Hirdes to hear about down the three runs, horsepower and what it means to win a title like California Rodeo Salinas.
BRJ: Let’s walk through your three runs at Salinas. How did each one play out?
Rylee George: “Round one, my calf was pretty good—just a little stronger. I just wanted to get a clean one down and set things up for the second one. The second calf I had was really good. He looked out there and waited on you, then peeled off right when you got to him. My third calf tried pretty hard, but luckily that horse was fast enough to catch him. It maybe wasn’t the prettiest loop but it worked.”
George was 4.6 seconds in Round 1, 3.9 in Round 2 and 5.3 in the short go to become the California Rodeo Salinas Champion.
Tell me more about that short-round run. What was going through your mind?
RG: I was pretty safetied up because the short round kind of fell apart. In my mind, I just needed to get him down clean. I probably safetied up a little too much, but it worked out—it was just a little longer run.
You’re bouncing from short setups to long ones all summer. How do you handle a setup like Salinas?
RG: I actually like the longer starts where you really have to go run one down. It helps that we were just at Cheyenne with a similar long setup, so that transition worked in my favor. Growing up in California, all the high school and junior rodeos had longer scores. Nothing like the short setups you see in Texas. I’m just more used to the longer setups—it’s what I learned on.
Winning Salinas is a bucket-list moment for any roper, but did it mean more to you as a California native?
RG: Absolutely. It’s always special to win in California. I actually have a junior high all-around buckle that looks just like the Salinas buckle, so it’s pretty cool to come full circle and win the real thing.
Tell me about the horse you were on—“Walking the Dog.” How did that partnership come about?
RG: He’s just a really good horse. He scores great, can really run, and he’ll rate the cow when you get there, which is so important here. Liz let me ride him, and I’m so thankful—he’s just super easy to rope on.
Discussion with “Louis’s” owner Liz Hirdes
“Walkin the Dog” had a standout performance in Salinas. What makes him so special?
LH: We’re really, really lucky—he just wants to be good. He’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime horses that truly tries no matter who rides him. I don’t know if that’s something you can train into one, honestly. I think we just got lucky with the right people around us, and having [Andy Holcomb] in our corner really helped shape him.
What was it like having Rylee ride him at such a big rodeo?
LH: I get way more nervous watching someone else ride one of ours than when I back in the box myself. I want them to do well so badly. I work hard to keep our horses honest and liking their jobs, so it means everything when someone else can get on and win. Rylee—she’s like family. When she wants to ride him, it’s a yes—no questions asked. I love seeing good people win, and it’s super cool that I can play a small part in her big success. It means a lot to me just to be part of that picture.
You and Rylee go way back, don’t you?
LH: We’ve been around each other for a long time. Blake—my husband—has roped with her uncle Mike since he was 18, so our paths have crossed for years. I honestly don’t even remember how I met Rylee—it just kind of happened. She’s a lot younger than me, but I’ve always known she was something special.
What’s your strategy at home for keeping “Walking the Dog” ready?
LH: I try to keep him soft and honest without overdoing it. He’s a lot of horse, but he doesn’t need a ton of practice runs. It’s more about keeping him rowed down. I cowboy on him when I can—take him out branding or have Blake gather cows on him. I do what I can to keep his mind right. But yeah, it’s nerve-wracking. I really wanted Rylee to do good.
