Rodeo finals: NHSRA crowns champions in Gillette
High school students from ninth through 12th grade represented 43 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand at the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) Finals Rodeo July 17-23. The Cowboy State had several contestants placing among the top contestants in the world.
Timed events
In the barrel racing competition, Morgan Beckstrom from Spanish Fork, Utah took home the NHSRA Barrel Racing Champion title with a total time of 51.351 seconds. Second place was awarded to Rayne Grant of Wheatland with a total time of 51.642 seconds. Third place went to Lacey Lawrence of Jordan, Mont. with 51.643 seconds.
Jenna Hume of Orfordville, Wis. went home as the NHSRA Breakaway Champion with a total time of 8.23 seconds. Quincy Sullivan of Peralta, N.M. went home with second-place honors with a total time of 8.24 seconds. In third place, with a time of 9.06 seconds, was Maggie Stewart of Sheridan, Ill.
Jacee Graff of St. George, Utah was named the NHSRA Goat Tying Champion with a total time of 22.82 seconds. Faith Marshall of Junction City, Ore. took second-place honors with a total time of 23.8 seconds. Isabel Rissee of Martin, S.D. went home with third-place honors with a total time of 24.13 seconds. Representing the Cowboy State, Raelee Caldwell of Gillette and Tavy Leno of Sheridan finished out the top five respectively in the goat tying competition.
The NHSRA Pole Bending Champion went to Rayne Grant of Wheatland. She rode for a total time of 59.308 seconds. Emma Garijo of Winnemucca, Nev. went home with second-place honors with a total time of 59.799 seconds. MaRynn Watterson of Delta, Utah finished out the top three. She rode for a total time of 59.896 seconds.
Coy Johnston of Stapleton, Neb. was crowned the NHSRA Steer Wrestling Champion. He rode for a total of 13.79 seconds. Robertsdale, Ala. native Drew Clukey went home with second-place honors with a total time of 14.87 seconds. Rounding out the top three was Kadin Javadi of Pasco Robles, Calif. with a total time of 15.14 seconds.
With a time of 19.24 seconds, James Arviso of Winslow, Ariz. and Cashton Weidenbener of Payson, Ariz. were named the NHSRA Team Roping Champions. Kenzie Kelton and Ketch Keton of Mayer, Ariz. went home with second-place honors. They rode for a total of 20.21 seconds. In third place, with a time of 20.77 seconds, was Kavis Drake of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Can. and Colter Dune of Ogema, Saskatchewan, Can.
The NHSRA Tie-Down Champion, with a total time of 27.41 seconds, went to Tyler Calhoun of Richards, Texas. Cole Clemons of Okeechobee, Fla. went home in second with 28.2 seconds, and Mason Stueve of Newton, Kan. went home in third with 28.43 seconds.
Roughstock events
In the bareback riding competition, Tuker Carricato of Saratoga was named the NHSRA Bareback Champion. He rode for a total of 229 points. Jacek Frost of Browns Valley, Calif. rode for a total of 225 points and went home with second-place honors. Rounding out the top three with 223 points is Kade Madsen of Honeyville, Utah.
John Crimber of Decatur, Texas was the NHSRA Bull Riding Champion. He rode for a total of 169 points. Hayden Welsh of Gillette went home with second-place honors. He rode for a total of 164.5 points. In third place, with 163.5 points, was Ty Parnell of Edmond, Okla.
Rounding out the roughstock events, Statler Wright of Beaver, Utah was named the NHSRA Saddle Bronc Riding Champion. He rode for a total of 229 points. Reserve honors went to Thayne Elshere of Hereford, S.D. with a total of 226 points. Finishing in third was Cooper Lane of Keller, Texas with 223 points.
Cutting, cow horse and shooting competitions
Cody Gann of Leighton, Ala. was named the NHSRA Boys Cutting Champion with a total of 445 points. Will Bushaw of Weatherford, Texas took home second-place honors with 441 points. Billy DeLong of Winnemucca, Nev. went home with third-place honors, riding for a total of 436 points.
Riley Farris of Madisonville, Texas rode for a total of 438 points and was named the NHSRA Girls Cutting Champion. Sadie Mendenhall of Edmond, Okla. went home with a total of 437.5 points for second-place honors. Third place went to Brinley Lippincott of Cypress, Texas with a total of 436 points.
Ryley Wilson of Chilliwack, British Columbia, Can. was named the NHSRA Reined Cow Horse Champion with a total of 892 points. Emily Kent of Jacksboro, Texas went home with second-place honors, riding for a total of 890 points. Rounding out the top three with 888.5 points was Will Jones of Allerton, Iowa.
In the trap shooting competition, Chase Campbell of Utah went home in first place with a total of 200 points. Lane Picklo of Texas followed behind with 190 points. Rounding out the top three was Kolton Miller of Wyoming with 180 points.
In the long-go rifle competition, Beau Emett of Utah went home as the NHSRA Light Rifle Champion. In second place was Tate Welch of Colorado and Cash Brown of North Carolina in third place.
Queen contest
The NHSRA also crowned a new NHSRA Rodeo Queen on July 23. Activities kicked off on July 14 and contestants competed in a variety of categories.
Miss Hawaii High School Rodeo Queen Eva Jarman was awarded the Miss Congeniality Award.
Miss Utah High School Rodeo Queen Addison Redd won the appearance, horsemanship and personality categories. Redd and Miss Georgia High School Rodeo Queen Presley Garland tied for the modeling category.
Miss Alabama High School Rodeo Queen Sydnee Griffith won the high-test category and Presley Garland won the speech category.
Miss Arkansas High School Rodeo Jadyn Noel was given the Impromptu Question Award and Miss Kansas High School Rodeo Queen Cheyenne Johnson won the interview category.
Top 10 contestants from 10th place to first place included: Rebecca Peterson, North Dakota; Dally Orman, Iowa; Hailey Gliko, Montana; Eva Jarman, Hawaii; Presley Garland, Georgia; Jadyn Noel, Arkansas; Cheyenne Johnson, Kansas; Sophia Zimmermann, Texas; Kate Budge, Idaho; and the 2023 NHSRA Queen Addison Redd of Utah.
All-Around, Horse of the Year and team standings
The All-Around Rookie Cowboy Award went to Lane Leeper of Leon, Iowa with a total of 163.33 points. A rookie cowboy is a contestant in their first year competing. The All-Around Cowboy went to Ketch Kelton of Mayer, Ariz. with a total of 1,610 points.
The All-Around Rookie Cowgirl went to Bayli Ladner of Klamath Falls, Ore., with a total of 210 points. Rayne Grant of Wheatland went home as the All-Around Cowgirl with 1,610 points.
The NHSRA Girls Horse of the Year Award went to Rayne Grant with her horse VF A Famous Lady, otherwise known as Chili. She rode for a total of 1,360 points. The NHSRA Boys Horse of the Year went to Will Jones and his horse Check Out Tuff, a.k.a. Wilson. The pair rode for a total of 735 points.
In the girls team standings, Texas went home in first place with 6,600 points and Wyoming took second with 4,338.03 points. In the boys team standings, Utah went home with first with 5,565 points and Texas took second with 4,830 points.
In the overall team standings, Texas was named the NHSRA Team Champion with a total of 11,430 points, followed by Utah with 9,278 points and Wyoming with 7,981.36 points.
For more information, visit nhsra.com.
Brittany Gunn is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
