Blue Mountain CC's Kennedy Buckner will be a busy cowgirl at the college finals (2024)

Kennedy Buckner didn't have the start she wanted to the College National Finals Rodeo, but she has more than a few chances to make up for it this week.

The junior from Blue Mountain Community College broke the barrier on her initial breakaway roping run to finish with a time of 12.2 seconds Sunday during "Bulls, Broncs & Breakaway" at the Ford Wyoming Center.

Buckner knows her week is just getting started, though. The Powell Butte, Oregon, cowgirl also qualified for the CNFR in barrel racing, goat tying and team roping. She's the only four-event cowgirl (or cowboy) at this year's college finals.

"I just can’t get in my head about any of it and I have to be OK no matter what happens all week," Buckner said. "I have complete confidence in my horses. I don’t have to worry about them at all."

The Northwest Region all-around champ is competing on three horses this week. She'll ride Lily in both goat tying and team roping, where she heads for Blue Mountain teammate Cutter Marsh; her breakaway horse, Gunner, is one she and her family raised; and she'll ride Cowboy, a horse she borrowed from a friend, in barrel racing.

Buckner's week kicks into high gear Monday, when she'll compete in all four events. On Tuesday, she will finish her second go-round runs in team roping, barrel racing and goat tying in the slack round and have her third go runs in both team roping and barrel racing.

"Seeing the draw was a little intimidating," Buckner admitted. "Monday and Tuesday I’m going to be here all day so it’s hustle, hustle, hustle. But I am happy with it no matter the outcome. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be."

Buckner has embraced the opportunity she earned during the college season and is approaching the rest of her busy week with a positive attitude.

"It’s definitely unique and I like it because it keeps my adrenaline up," she said. "If something goes wrong in one event I’ve got another one. And I can kind of get the ball rolling.

"If I have a really good day (Monday), one event just feeds off the other. You have no time to even think about it. You’ve just got to get on and move on to the next thing."

Buckner and her horses have had success in previous trips to the college finals. She was the reserve breakaway champ last year and competed in barrel racing and goat tying as a freshman.

And if Buckner bounces back and puts together some good runs she could find herself busy again Saturday in the short go. Even if that doesn't happen, Buckner won't change her demeanor.

"It’s going to be a good week," she said, "no matter what happens."

Blue Mountain teammate Taylor Jones had a great start to her week as she and University of West Alabama's Lauren Booty tied for the lead -- there was still one breakaway roper left to complete the first go -- with 2.1-second runs.

Idaho State's Zoie Bedke, the 2021 breakaway champ, was third with a 2.2; followed by Texas A&M's Madalyn Richards and Central Arizona College's Payton Johnson, both of whom had a 2.3.