Andrew Ward Wins it All 

It’s not Andrew Ward’s first rodeo. Not even close. The 35-year-old Edmond native started roping around the same time he learned to walk. Hundreds of rodeos, thousands of runs, and decades of dedication later, Ward now holds one of the sport’s highest honors: 2025 PRCA World Champion Team Roper. 

“When you win the world title, it’s something special. It’s like the superbowl of the rodeo world,” Ward said. “There’s not a lot of gold buckles out there.” 

The six-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and 2021 WNFR Average Champion has spent nearly his entire life in and around the rodeo arena. His journey started thanks to family, horses from neighbors, and a childhood spent in Deer Creek and Edmond. 

“My dad’s oldest brother got us all started,” Ward said. “I think I won my first check when I was seven.” Growing up, Ward learned to ride on older horses that neighbors gave the family. Later, his dad bought him a rope horse named Jack, which Ward still remembers fondly. 

Today, he owns eight quarter horses traveling the country full-time, competing professionally through the PRCA circuit. Though the runs themselves often last only four seconds, the preparation behind them is constant. 

“There’s not a lot of thinking going on while you’re doing it,” Ward said. “That’s where you put all the hours in before you get there to have your horse right and your roping ready. It’s instinct.” 

Professional rodeo may look glamorous from the outside, but Ward says the reality involves long drives, expensive entry fees, injuries, equipment issues, and months away from home. “Everybody romanticizes the rodeo,” Ward said. “It might not be romantic, but I am living my dream. You get to make a living with your rope, which I wanted to do since I was little.” 

As with most dreams that come true, Ward notes that there’s a lot of work involved. Unlike many professional athletes, rodeo competitors fund much of their own careers. Ward credits sponsors and supporters who helped him early on, saying their investment made it possible for him to continue competing professionally. 

Ward’s wife, Hayli, travels alongside him throughout much of rodeo season, especially during the summer stretch when they’re often gone from June through September. Together, they manage the demanding lifestyle that comes with competing at the sport’s highest level. 

Despite the competition, Ward says rodeo remains deeply rooted in community. “A lot of the guys I compete against now, I’ve been rodeoing with for years,” he said. “As far as rodeo people, I don’t think there’s any better group of people in the world. Salt-of-the-earth kind of people.” 

Still, once the competition starts, friendships take a backseat. “We all want to win,” Ward said. “There’s no handouts when it comes to competition time.” 

Thankfully, Ward didn’t need a handout. He relied on hard work and experience to take home the World Championship. Following this victory, he paid a visit to the White House – a surreal moment for the humble Oklahoma cowboy who still calls Edmond home. 

Through it all, Ward remains grateful for the life rodeo has given him, the people, the purpose, and the chance to live out a dream he started chasing as a little boy in Oklahoma. At the end of the day, Ward says, “All glory goes to God.”