Brandie Inman and Maverick’s Journey to the 56th International Finals Rodeo
By Josie Correll
From the small town of Nowata, Brandi Inman rode her way to the International Finals Rodeo, where she was crowned the 2025 International Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing world champion.
Growing up surrounded by horses, Inman learned to ride at just 3 years old, beginning the journey to where she is today. As she got older, she competed in fun shows, junior rodeos, high school rodeos and several American Cowboys Rodeo Association events.
Inman spent 17 years working in the oil and gas industry while continuing to ride. Eventually, she decided to take her rodeo career to a larger stage, competing in IPRA rodeos.
“Twenty twenty-four was actually my first year,” Inman says. “It was my rookie year, and I ended up winning Rookie of the Year.”
Heading into the January 2025 finals to close out the 2024 season, Inman didn’t think she had a chance at Rookie of the Year. She entered the finals trailing the first-place competitor by a wide margin. However, after a strong finals performance that earned more than $13,000, she claimed the top spot.
Although making the finals is the end goal, nothing is more important to Inman than her equine partner, “Maverick.” a 2016 sorrel Paint gelding registered as Rodeo Short Go.
“He’s my number one factor in everything,” Inman says. “I know that I wouldn’t be where I am without him.”
She purchased Maverick in 2021. Together, they’ve faced their share of ups and downs. While he was already trained on the barrels, he came with challenges. Before she bought him, Maverick struggled at the arena gate, rearing, refusing to enter and avoiding it altogether.
“I purchased him because he was cheap,” Inman says. “I felt like I could probably fix the gate issues then sell him.”
She did exactly that. But when Maverick began having issues again, she refunded the buyer and took him back to continue working with him. After addressing his gate problems once more, Inman started running him again. Over time, he returned to performing well and winning.
“I was really surprised he made a rodeo horse,” Inman says. “He can get really hot, hyper and nervous.”
Although she didn’t think he had the mental capacity for rodeo, Inman hauled Maverick to barrel races to build his confidence. Then in 2023, the pair began hauling to rodeos.
After a strong 2024 season and a successful finals, Inman looked ahead to 2025 and decided to focus on competing in IPRA-sanctioned rodeos.
“Since rodeos don’t start in Oklahoma till summer, I decided to take a few trips out east,” Inman says, “places like Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi.”
Inman says she studied each arena carefully, selecting rodeos where her horse had the best chance to excel.
“Once rodeos started up around home, I tried to stay as close as possible,” she says. “I enjoy being home.”
Inman was still working full time during the rodeo season, which limited how often she could travel. She qualified for the World Champions Rodeo Alliance event in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the Women’s Rodeo World Championship in Fort Worth. Placing at both rodeos brought her closer to her goal of the 2026 IFR.
“Going into fall and things slowed down here, I made another couple trips out east to try and win a little more money,” Inman says
The January 2026 International Finals Rodeo closed out the 2025 season, and Inman arrived more than $11,000 behind the top-ranked competitor. She knew winning the world title was still possible, but she needed to compete well throughout the five rounds.
“I really like the fact that you can go into the finals behind, and if you compete well, you have the opportunity to win it,” Inman says.
Knowing she still had a chance to win, Inman entered the arena ready to compete. She knew she couldn’t play it safe and needed to stay consistent and place high or win in each round.
“I really went into it calmer than I thought,” Inman remembers. “I just tried to go in and stay consistent and let my horse work.”
Going into the last round of the IFR, Inman went in the arena with the “Let’s win it” mindset, proving that mind over matter could carry her to victory.
Looking back on her beginnings and years of hard work, Inman says winning the championship title means a great deal. She never bought a high-dollar horse to compete on; instead, she developed the ones she had or chose horses that needed work, like Maverick.
When she was younger, Inman dreamed of being the kind of competitor the announcer recognized every time she entered the arena. Until Maverick came along, she says she was never well known.
Winning the IPRA was her main goal for the year, and achieving it reassured her that she is on the right path and doing what she is meant to do.
“It means a lot to do it on the horse that I did,” Inman says. “I really feel like we have an unbreakable bond — that he was meant for me.”
