2017 Youth Directors Driven by Leadership and Preserving Rodeo Heritage
Each year, a number of International Finals Youth Rodeo contestants submit their application to be selected for the IFYR Youth Director program for the following year’s rodeo. These distinguished representatives are chosen based on their outstanding qualifications and commitment to leadership.
Youth Directors serve as student representatives throughout the year in their leadership role. They assist in recruiting future contestants and serve as spokespersons for the IFYR and its sponsors.
During rodeo week, Directors act as the liaison between contestants and rodeo judges. They are responsible for hearing protests and requests from fellow contestants and relaying that information to IFYR judges and staff, all while being a contestant first and foremost. Youth Directors also participate in the grand entry of all performances and carry flags.
The six Youth Directors for IFYR 2017 are Morgan Harrington of Casa, Arkansas; Creede Hicks of Wanette, Oklahoma; Adriane Nichols of Ozark, Missouri; Sydney Odle of Brush, Colorado; Wes Thibodeaux of Elmer, Louisiana and George Wright of Slaton, Texas.
Morgan Harrington
Casa, Arkansas
Morgan Harrington will compete in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping at the 2017 IFYR. She is a recent graduate of Two Rivers High School and will be attending the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the fall, double majoring in biochemistry and biology.
Harrington competes in the Arkansas High School Rodeo Association, Arkansas Teenage Rodeo Association and the Little Britches Rodeo Association. She was also an FFA officer at Two Rivers High School.
Morgan Harrington is the daughter of Steve and Flora Harrington.
Creede Hicks
Wanette, Oklahoma
Creede Hicks is the only returning Youth Director for 2017. He will be competing in steer wrestling and tie-down roping at the 2017 IFYR. Hicks is a 2017 graduate of Abeka Academy and will attend East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, in the fall.
Hicks is the 2015 and 2016 Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association Tie-Down Roping Champion, the 2016 Clarence LeBlanc 19 & Under Steer Wrestling Champion and the 2017 Central Oklahoma Little Britches Rodeo Association Steer Wrestling Champion.
Creede Hicks is the son of Brad and Laura Hicks.
Adriane Nichols
Ozark, Missouri
Adriane Nichols will be a junior this fall at Ozark High School and currently holds a 4.1 GPA. She will be competing in barrel racing and pole bending at the 2017 IFYR.
Nichols is involved with Link Crew and is a member of the National Honors Society at her high school. In her spare time, she enjoys photography.
Adriane Nichols is the daughter of Shannon and Sally Nichols.
Sydney Odle
Brush, Colorado
Sydney Odle will compete in barrel racing and pole bending at the 2017 IFYR and competes on the Bloomer Trailer Team. She will be a senior at Brush High School this fall, holding a 4.0 GPA with All-Conference honors in softball.
Odle is a two-time Colorado Junior Rodeo Association State Pole Bending Champion and a three-time Ribbon Roping Champion. Her sister, Alex Odle, was a 2016 IFYR Youth Director and contestant.
Sydney Odle is the daughter of Tom and Amber Odle.
Wes Thibodeaux
Elmer, Louisiana
Wes Thibodeaux graduated with honors from Oak Hill High School and will be attending Louisiana Technical College in the fall. He will compete in team roping at the 2017 IFYR.
Thibodeaux was an FFA officer, State Beta Competition officer and a Rodeo Club officer in high school. He also qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals and was the 2014 Louisiana High School Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year.
Wes Thibodeaux is the son of Tim and Penny Thibodeaux.
George Wright
Slaton, Texas
George Wright is a 2017 graduate of Slaton High School and will attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, on a rodeo scholarship in the fall. He will compete in saddle bronc riding at the 2017 IFYR.
Wright is a member of the Bloomer Trailer Team and is qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals.
George Wright is the son of Bradley and Sally Wright.
The International Finals Youth Rodeo, held annually since 1993, is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that presents top high school athletes with a professional rodeo. The internationally-recognized IFYR is held annually at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The action-packed event includes hundreds of contestants vying to win more than $250,000 in prize money, competing in 10 events running simultaneously in three arenas over six days. In 2016, more than 920 contestants and their families traveled from 34 states to participate in the IFYR. For more information, visit IFYR.com or call (405) 275-7020.
Youth Directors serve as student representatives throughout the year in their leadership role. They assist in recruiting future contestants and serve as spokespersons for the IFYR and its sponsors.
During rodeo week, Directors act as the liaison between contestants and rodeo judges. They are responsible for hearing protests and requests from fellow contestants and relaying that information to IFYR judges and staff, all while being a contestant first and foremost. Youth Directors also participate in the grand entry of all performances and carry flags.
The six Youth Directors for IFYR 2017 are Morgan Harrington of Casa, Arkansas; Creede Hicks of Wanette, Oklahoma; Adriane Nichols of Ozark, Missouri; Sydney Odle of Brush, Colorado; Wes Thibodeaux of Elmer, Louisiana and George Wright of Slaton, Texas.
Morgan Harrington
Casa, Arkansas
Morgan Harrington will compete in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping at the 2017 IFYR. She is a recent graduate of Two Rivers High School and will be attending the University of Arkansas at Monticello in the fall, double majoring in biochemistry and biology.
Harrington competes in the Arkansas High School Rodeo Association, Arkansas Teenage Rodeo Association and the Little Britches Rodeo Association. She was also an FFA officer at Two Rivers High School.
Morgan Harrington is the daughter of Steve and Flora Harrington.
Creede Hicks
Wanette, Oklahoma
Creede Hicks is the only returning Youth Director for 2017. He will be competing in steer wrestling and tie-down roping at the 2017 IFYR. Hicks is a 2017 graduate of Abeka Academy and will attend East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma, in the fall.
Hicks is the 2015 and 2016 Heart of Oklahoma Youth Rodeo Association Tie-Down Roping Champion, the 2016 Clarence LeBlanc 19 & Under Steer Wrestling Champion and the 2017 Central Oklahoma Little Britches Rodeo Association Steer Wrestling Champion.
Creede Hicks is the son of Brad and Laura Hicks.
Adriane Nichols
Ozark, Missouri
Adriane Nichols will be a junior this fall at Ozark High School and currently holds a 4.1 GPA. She will be competing in barrel racing and pole bending at the 2017 IFYR.
Nichols is involved with Link Crew and is a member of the National Honors Society at her high school. In her spare time, she enjoys photography.
Adriane Nichols is the daughter of Shannon and Sally Nichols.
Sydney Odle
Brush, Colorado
Sydney Odle will compete in barrel racing and pole bending at the 2017 IFYR and competes on the Bloomer Trailer Team. She will be a senior at Brush High School this fall, holding a 4.0 GPA with All-Conference honors in softball.
Odle is a two-time Colorado Junior Rodeo Association State Pole Bending Champion and a three-time Ribbon Roping Champion. Her sister, Alex Odle, was a 2016 IFYR Youth Director and contestant.
Sydney Odle is the daughter of Tom and Amber Odle.
Wes Thibodeaux
Elmer, Louisiana
Wes Thibodeaux graduated with honors from Oak Hill High School and will be attending Louisiana Technical College in the fall. He will compete in team roping at the 2017 IFYR.
Thibodeaux was an FFA officer, State Beta Competition officer and a Rodeo Club officer in high school. He also qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals and was the 2014 Louisiana High School Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year.
Wes Thibodeaux is the son of Tim and Penny Thibodeaux.
George Wright
Slaton, Texas
George Wright is a 2017 graduate of Slaton High School and will attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, Oklahoma, on a rodeo scholarship in the fall. He will compete in saddle bronc riding at the 2017 IFYR.
Wright is a member of the Bloomer Trailer Team and is qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals.
George Wright is the son of Bradley and Sally Wright.
The International Finals Youth Rodeo, held annually since 1993, is a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization that presents top high school athletes with a professional rodeo. The internationally-recognized IFYR is held annually at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma. The action-packed event includes hundreds of contestants vying to win more than $250,000 in prize money, competing in 10 events running simultaneously in three arenas over six days. In 2016, more than 920 contestants and their families traveled from 34 states to participate in the IFYR. For more information, visit IFYR.com or call (405) 275-7020.
