Two local teens brought home top honors from the 2025 National Little Britches Rodeo Finals in Oklahoma City, showcasing not only their talent and grit, but also the strength of Utah’s rodeo youth.
James Quarnberg, of Aurora, earned the title of Back-to-Back National Little Britches Senior Bull Riding World Champion, riding all three bulls across the week-long competition—an achievement unmatched by any other rider in his division. James rode in the sixth performance of the first go-round, placing third. Just hours later, he competed in the first performance of the second go, again placing third. He wrapped up the short go on Saturday with a second-place ride. His consistency and determination earned him the first-place national average and the world title.
Meanwhile, Addie Quarnberg, also of Aurora, teamed up with Blake Gray of Redmond to compete in ribbon roping. The duo had solid runs, placing 8th in the first go and 10th in the second. Their clean performance in Saturday’s short go secured them third place in the national average and a 3rd-place finish in the world standings.
Utah, represented by a team of roughly 75 young athletes, had a standout showing at Nationals—claiming nine world titles and several additional top-five finishes across multiple events.
Both Addie and James balanced a packed schedule leading up to Nationals. Addie traveled to Idaho to assist the College of Southern Idaho cheer team with recruiting efforts, while James was selected to play in the All-Star Football Game on June 28 and still managed to win the bull riding at the Riverton Rocky Mountain Rodeo the day before. They flew to Oklahoma City on June 30 to join Kelly and Jennifer Quarnberg, who serve as a National Judge and a National Secretary, respectively, for the National Little Britches organization.
The Blackhawk Little Britches Rodeo, one of four franchises in Utah, gives youth ages 5–18 the opportunity to compete in rodeos throughout the year in hopes of qualifying for Nationals. The 2026 National Little Britches Finals will also be held in Oklahoma City.
Looking ahead, Addie will attend the College of Southern Idaho on a cheerleading scholarship, while James plans to continue bull riding in the Rocky Mountain Rodeo Association and compete on the Utah Valley University rodeo team under a rodeo scholarship.
