George is the fourth Lion in four consecutive years to win a national championship for East Texas A&M Rodeo.
East Texas A&M University cowgirl Rylee George joined the ranks of Lion champions after capturing a national title in the Breakaway Roping event at the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) held in Casper, Wyo.
George’s victory gives the Lion Rodeo program its fifth individual national championship in four years among four different riders.
Taking the Championship Crown
Five Lions qualified for the CNFR after finishing in the top three in their events in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region standings. This year’s CNFR qualifiers included George, Jill White, Mayce Marek, Trace Harris and Garrett Freeman.
George and Harris finished the three qualifying rounds in the top 12, sending them to the rodeo’s championship final. Harris finished twelfth in the Steer Wrestling event.
George, who entered the final round of Breakaway Roping with a total time of 7.7 seconds across three attempts, roped the calf in 2.3 seconds to finish with a four-round total of 10 seconds flat. This was good enough to put her in a tie for first with Kate Eiland of Pearl River Community College. The championship was awarded to both riders.
Additionally, the American Quarter Horse Association named George’s horse, “Royce,” the Breakaway Roping Horse of the Year.
A Solid Finish for Lion Rodeo
Here’s how the rest of the Lion CNFR qualifiers fared:
- Freeman and team partner Teyton Barton of Northeast Texas Community College finished 19th in Team Roping.
- Marek finished 22nd in the overall standings for Goat Tying but boasted a round one victory with a time of six seconds.
- White finished 34th in Breakaway Roping but won round three with a time of 1.8 seconds, just a tenth of a second slower than the fastest time of the entire week.
In addition to individual success, the East Texas A&M Women’s team finished fourth in the overall standings with just three competitors, matching its highest-ever finish at the CNFR. This is also the team’s second-highest season finish after it finished first in the NIRA overall standings during the shortened 2020 season.
Head Rodeo Coach Dameon White applauded the team’s success during the 2024-25 season.
“I am super proud of each team and the way they competed throughout this year,” White said. “Everyone gave 110% and that is all we can ask for.”
The previous four CNFR National Champions for East Texas A&M Rodeo are as follows:
- 2025: Rylee George, Breakaway Roping
- 2024: Kaden Profili, Team Roping
- 2023: Kincade Henry, Tie Down Roping
- 2022: Bryana Lehrmann, Breakaway Roping and Women’s All-Around Champion
Learn more about Rodeo at East Texas A&M.
Featured photo: George’s individual National Championship is the fifth in the history of Lion Rodeo since the program began in 2014. | Photo courtesy of East Texas A&M Rodeo
