Holbrook cowboy OJ Williams wins two INFR world titles

50th Annual Indian National Finals Rodeo

LAS VEGAS, Nev.

It took a dozen trips to the Indian National Finals Rodeo for Holbrook cowboy OJ Williams to finally become a world champion.

The 51-year-old timed event specialist didn’t leave with just one world title. He carried two back to the Navajo Nation after winning the senior breakaway and senior team roping with heading partner Gerald Daye during Saturday afternoon’s championship round at the South Point Arena.

“It’s exciting to win two world titles, especially with it being 50 years since the INFR got started,” Williams said. “It’s not like you’re going to wake up and win two world titles. It’s something that you don’t try to think about – you just have to take as it comes.”

Williams won his first world title in the senior breakaway after entering the final round in first place. With ice in his veins, he posted a 3.08-second run that earned him the title with an 8.94-second aggregate.

Williams then added the senior team roping world crown with Daye as the pair won the average in 21.76 seconds, including a first-place run of 6.32 seconds in the championship round.

“We’ve been roping all summer, and it worked out at this year’s INFR,” Daye said. “The second steer was kind of tough to rope because the steer was so small, and the horns were really short, but we got it done.”

In addition to Williams and Daye, the INFR crowned three first-time world champions from the Navajo Nation.

In the junior bull riding, Fort Defiance cowboy Kyler Kee edged Kirtland, New Mexico, cowboy Kyran Benally by two points. Kee rode three bulls for 201 points while Benally finished with a 199-point aggregate.

Kee earned his championship on a reride bull after his first draw fouled him at the start of the ride. The 15-year-old cowboy made the most of his second chance, finishing with a 66-point ride that tied him for third in the short round.

“I really didn’t like that first bull I had,” Kee said. “I know I deserved a reride and I got on a good bull to win it all. That reride really helped me.”

In the open bull riding, Kayenta’s Brad Moreno came from behind to snatch the world title from JaCauy Hale, who led the event heading into the final round.

“It’s pretty nice and it’s pretty cool,” Moreno said of being named the world champion.

“I just had to ride because there’s no safety up in bull riding,” Moreno said of his mindset.

Before Saturday night’s performance, Hale was a perfect 3-for-3, but he didn’t make the eight-second ride aboard C3 Bucking Bulls’ Guitar Town. The Beshbetoh, Arizona, bull rider finished as the reserve champion.

Moreno, meanwhile, rode 4B Bucking Bulls’ Sissy’s Surprise for 87 points and was the only bull rider to make a qualified ride Saturday night.

“It bucks hard, and I just had to stay in a rhythm with him,” Moreno said. “He was a pretty good bucking bull, and it worked out.”

In the barrels, Shiprock cowgirl Paige Dale stayed consistent during the weeklong rodeo to win the four-round aggregate on a borrowed horse.

Dale rode Chanter, owned by Karsyn Yazzie, winning the first and third rounds and placing second in the second and championship rounds.

“I’m just shocked and I’m very thankful,” Dale said. “I’ve been extremely blessed, and I’ve been praying for this world title all year and I have to thank Karsyn and her family.

“You know, Karsyn’s horse has it,” she added. “Chanter gave it his all in every run and he was just consistent. I just gave him all my trust and I think this is what brought us a world championship.”

Dale posted a 15.644-second run Saturday night to win the title with an aggregate of 63.456 seconds.

Read more INFR coverage in the Oct. 22, 2026, edition of the Navajo Times.

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