Kallen Nichols, of Winnsboro, Texas, and Friday Andrews, of Winnsboro, Texas, made it count when it mattered, winning the #8.5 Stretch Shootout at the 2026 Cinch USTRC National Finals with a 33.26 on four head, worth $46,800.

For the pair of 16-year-olds, it was a win that came at the right time.

“It’s been a bad week,” Nichols said.

When it was their turn, everything they’ve put in at home showed.

“We practice every day,” Nichols said. “Together.”

They opened with a 7.38 before grinding through runs of 8.43 and 8.97 to get by a tough third steer.

“I thought I broke out on every one of them,” Nichols said with a laugh.

“Our third one was pretty tricky, he ran up the rope a little bit,” Andrews said. “But other than that, it felt really good.”

Coming back high call, the nerves were there.

“Oh yeah, I was nervous,” Nichols said.

“I was trying to calm down the whole time,” Andrews added.

They went back to what got them there.

Nichols rode “Otis,” a horse he hauls in both calf roping and team roping, while Andrews trusted a 6-year-old he’s had for two years.

“He’s one of a kind,” Andrews said.

They finished it with an 8.48 to lock down the win.

Hats flew, fists pumped and their crew in the stands made sure they knew it.

“Everything we practiced paid off,” Andrews said.

For a team that puts the work in together every day, this one felt like it was coming.

They just had to wait their turn.