Osage Citizens Qualify for Indian National Finals Rodeo, osagenews.org reports

Three Pawhuska-area Osage citizens have qualified to compete in the Indian National Finals Rodeo, scheduled for October 13 through 17 at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, osagenews.org reported.

Osage Athletes Heading to Las Vegas

The qualifying athletes include teenage sisters Daisy and Ellie Garnett alongside saddle-bronc rider Jackson Howell. Daisy Garnett, 16, secured her spot in both the Ladies Breakaway and Junior Breakaway categories. Ellie Garnett, 14, qualified in the Ladies Breakaway, Junior Breakaway, and Junior Barrel categories. Howell, 20, earned his qualification in saddle-bronc riding.

This marks Howell’s second trip to the Finals Rodeo, following his debut appearance in 2023. The event marks its 50th year. While operating as an independent event, the competition features a collaborative rodeo participant recruitment program alongside the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

Months of Travel Across North America

Lauren Garnett outlined the extensive qualifying journey, noting that her daughters began the process in March of 2026 in Florida before competing across the country over several months. During the spring, the Garnett family traveled to Arizona. Throughout the summer, they competed in South Dakota, Montana, and Canada.

The family visited Canada three times during the season. Those trips included stops in Calgary, home of the Calgary Stampede. This year, Calgary added an Indian rodeo to its festival lineup for the first time. “It went so well they’re going to have another one next year,” Lauren Garnett stated. Ellie and Daisy Garnett also competed in the Tsuut’ina National Tour Rodeo in the province of Alberta.

Events during the Indian National Finals Rodeo feature 32 qualifiers per event. All competitors enter the arena with an equal chance to win a championship. “It has been a great summer,” Lauren Garnett noted. “We got to see all different parts of the country.”

Jackson Howell Returns to the National Stage

For Jackson Howell, returning to the national stage was the primary objective for the season. Howell has competed as a saddle-bronc rider for three full years. “It was my main goal to make it back this year,” he said, adding that qualifying provides motivation to continue refining his skills. Howell credited his parents for encouraging him to pursue the sport seriously.

Family history connects Howell deeply to both rodeo and western heritage. He is a great-great-nephew of rodeo champion and Academy Award-winning actor Ben Johnson Jr., who lived from 1918 to 1996. Howell is the grandson of the late Charles “Doug” Whitehorn, an Osage elder who died in 2018 at the age of 77. Howell’s parents are Alexis Whitehorn and Jason Howell.

The Garnett sisters share a similar sense of family backing and cultural pride. Daisy and Ellie Garnett are the daughters of Lauren and Cody Garnett and the great-granddaughters of Annetta Labadie. “I am proud to represent the Osage Nation, Pawhuska and my family,” Ellie Garnett said. “I can’t wait to rope in Las Vegas.” Daisy Garnett described the upcoming competition as an amazing opportunity, expressing pride and gratitude for the milestone.

The competition begins on October 13 at the South Point Arena in Las Vegas, bringing together top qualifiers from across North America to compete through October 17.