Rodeo Community Mourns Daughter of WPRA Champion Kelsie Domer, Oaklynn Rae

The rodeo community is grieving the loss of Oaklynn Rae Domer, the 3-year-old daughter of breakaway roping star Kelsie Domer and her husband, Ryan.

Kelsie, a 10-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) world champion, has built a legendary career in the arena. Now, competitors and fans across the circuit are rallying around her family with prayers and public tributes.

Public details remain limited, and the family has not shared a full public account of the accident. According to Taste of Country, the tragedy stemmed from a horse-related incident.

One of Kelsie’s horses reportedly suffered a sudden medical episode and went down, striking both Kelsie and Oaklynn. Kelsie survived. Oaklynn died despite efforts to save her.

Oaklynn’s obituary confirms her death and paints a picture of a little girl who grew up in the arena alongside her mom.

"Oaklynn packed a lot in her short time with us. Traveling the rodeo circuit all over the U.S., hitting the practice pen with mom and dad, and loving her family with all her heart," the obituary read. "She loved frogs, horses, everybody’s puppies, going to 'yodeos,' and hanging out with all her friends. She did not know a stranger and lit up the room the minute she made her grand entrance."

The Women’s Professional Rodeo Association also released a statement confirming Oaklynn’s death.

“Our hearts are shattered with the sudden passing of Oaklynn Rae Domer, the 3-year-old daughter of 10-time WPRA World Champion Kelsie Domer and husband Ryan. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time,” the org wrote on Instagram.

Oaklynn’s name has circulated quickly through the rodeo world because her mother is one of the sport’s most decorated athletes. According to the WPRA, Kelsie is a Dublin, Texas-based member who joined in 2011, with 10 world titles across disciplines.

The association, founded in 1948, is the oldest women’s sports organization in the United States. It sanctions timed events, including barrel racing and breakaway roping, and plays a major role in shaping women’s professional rodeo.

Freak accidents involving horses have happened in rodeo settings before. In 2021, 10-year-old Legend Williamson died after a horse reared and fell on him in a warm-up pen at a rodeo, according to KPLC. A sheriff’s office detective called it “just a freak accident.”

Authorities said the horse may have suffered a sudden medical emergency, such as a heart attack or brain aneurysm.

The community also surrounded professional bareback rider Spencer Wright and his wife with support in 2024 after they lost their 3-year-old son, Levi, in a separate accident involving a toy tractor.

In 2025, 24-year-old bull rider Dylan Grant died after a bull threw and trampled him during the Wharton County Youth Fair Xtreme Bulls event in Texas, according to CHRON. The Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association released statements of condolence, and riders across the country honored him in the arena.