2025 Cowgirl Great

Kristi Steffes

Kristi grew up on her family’s ranch in Vale, South Dakota, and has had a deep passion for horses for as long as she can remember. She credits her family for giving her a strong foundation in rodeo, competing in numerous youth events, 4-H and Little Britches Rodeos before starting high school in 2009. While attending Sturgis High School, Kristi competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, team roping, and girls cutting. She was a nine-time state champion and qualified for NHSRA finals all four years finishing in the top 10 five times. Kristi began her college rodeo career in 2013 at Gillette College in Wyoming, where she competed in barrel racing, goat tying, and breakaway roping, earning multiple college rodeo wins including Central Rocky Mountain Region Championships. In 2016, she transferred to Black Hills State University to complete her Elementary Education degree and compete for the BHSU rodeo team. That same year, she won the College National Finals Barrel Racing Championship aboard her great, home raised horse, “Captain.” Kristi has continued to rodeo professionally, earning multiple professional rodeo wins and becoming a six-time Badlands Circuit Finals qualifier. She is currently back on the family ranch doing what she loves, training barrel horses and ranching alongside her father.