Fellow 14-year-olds Anna Butler of Walterboro, South Carolina, and Abigail Knight of Yatesville, Georgia, teamed up to sort 17 head in 164.15 seconds, clinching the #8 Youth Championship title, earning the young guns a well deserved $872.

As the final pair to ride in the championship round, Butler and Knight knew exactly what they needed to do to take the lead, and they delivered. Their consistent performance across all three rounds not only secured the win but also marked a memorable milestone, as both riders have now moved out of the #8 Youth class.

The girls had plenty of support cheering them on from the sidelines. Knight, who comes from a family of world champions, had her dad, Scott Knight, and brother, Trent Knight, keeping close tabs on their standings and the number of cows they needed to win.

“Honestly, we thought we only got five head and were disappointed,” Butler shared. “Then Trent told us we actually got it. We were so happy.”

This victory marked Butler’s first youth championship at the Cinch RSNC World Finals. She rode her new 2018 gelding, Lil Ripper (Dont Stopp Believin x RPL Ich This), who had only recently joined her string. The duo rode together at only one event in Florida before heading for Fort Worth. 

Knight also competed on a relatively new mount, Hotnsmooth As Stella (Hottish x Smooth Stella), affectionately called “Schnook.” The pair has developed a strong bond and delivered a standout performance in Fort Worth.

“Anna told me earlier, ‘I never realized how good that horse looked until I saw the video,’” Knight said with a laugh as they rewatched their winning run. 

With talent, teamwork and strong support systems behind them, Butler and Knight wrapped up their time in the #8 Youth class in championship style.

This article appears in the Summer 2025 issue of The Ranch Sorter, featuring World Champion stories, event recaps, regional results, and more.

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