The last couple of weeks have been big for Alee Andrews.
Just two weeks ago, Andrews took home the 2023 Total Feeds 19 & Under Breakaway Championship held in conjunction with the USTRC Cinch National Finals of Team Roping. Now, the 16-year-old is making her presence known at Rodeo Corpus Christi, a stop on the World Champions Rodeo Alliance’s Triple Crown of Rodeo tour.
Andrews qualified through the Division Youth Rodeo series, which allows competitors 13-19 years of age the chance to nominate events through the WCRA’s Virtual Rodeo Qualifier app and earn points towards various WCRA Major events as well as working towards a year-end title.
The crowed erupted when she roped her calf in 2.03 seconds May 10, 2023, putting her right to the top of the leaderboard and moving her through to Saturday’s Showdown Round.
“I knew that calf and I knew he ran a little harder than the most, so I tried to make sure I got out and not be late on him,” Andrews, of Paris, Texas, said. “And then I just wanted to make sure I had a good shot, so I took my first.”
Andrews was, again, riding her jet-black, racing-bred gelding “Lover Boy,” whom her family and she trained together.
“I have a good horse and I’m just trying to use him and keep on winning,” Andrews, who took home $1,600 for her Progressive Round win, said. “We bought him as a yearling, and we’ve trained him together as a family and he’s special to the whole family. We’ve grown up together roping, I trained him and so we know each other to a T.”
So, how did Andrews even get to Rodeo Corpus Christi? It’s simple. She nominates nearly every single youth rodeo or roping she enters.
“Just to get these awesome opportunities like this,” Andrews said. “Just to be able to know I have a good shot in it.”
When Saturday night rolls around, Andrews is sticking with the same game plan.
“Just do the same thing,” Andrews said. “I mean, don’t safety up and just trust what happens.”
Results
- Alee Andrews, 2.03, $1,600.
- Lorissa Jo Merritt, 2.33, $1,200
- 3. MaryBeth Beam, 2.41, $800
- Rylie Edens, 2.84, $400
