Junior High Rodeo Athletes Ready to Showcase Talent in Iowa
Rodeo families from across the nation are packing horse trailers and preparing for their journey to Des Moines, Iowa for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) held at the Iowa State Fairgrounds over June 23 - 29. Thousands of Junior High members will compete over the 5-day period. Click here to see the contestant qualifier list and draw.
NJHFR holds a tight schedule to get all the competitors through their represented events for the duration of the finals. Not only do the kids participate in their respected rodeo events, but the contestants will also attend meetings, silent auctions, scholarship and award ceremonies, clinics, jackpots, talent shows, and more. The 2024 schedule of events can be viewed here.
In order to qualifier and earn the chance to compete in Iowa, students must be in the top four in their respective state's standings to the finals. The events in Iowa will showcase cowgirls in breakaway, goat tying, barrels, pole bending, team roping, ribbon roping and cowboys in bull riding, team roping, ribbon roping, chute dogging, breakaway, saddle bronc riding, goat tying, tie-down roping, bareback riding and shooting events.
These athlets are the future of rodeo. This is the week they will show the world their talents and champions will be crowned. It is no doubt we will see many of these cowboys and cowgirls in the Thomas and Mack in the near future.
The NJHSR association was created in 2004 as a branch from the National High School Rodeo Assocation, created in 1949. The first NHSRF was in Hallettsville, Texas in August of 1949. For over 75 years they have held the largest youth rodeo, where it now gets well over1500 competitors each year. It only made sense to add the junior high competitors in with the NJHSR after the success the high school association has had.
The high school competitors will get to showcase their skills at the 2024 NHSRF which will be held in Rock Springs, Wyo. at the Sweetwater Events Complex in mid-July. This week however, is about the junior high students and we will be following the action closely.
SAMI JO BUUM
From tiny pink cowboy boots and pigtails to pro rodeos and fast horses, Sami Jo was definitely bitten by the horse bug at a very young age. She was born and raised in Colorado on a small backyard farm in Brighton. The western industry has been a huge part of almost every aspect of her life. She was not born into a rodeo family and is a first-generation professional barrel racer. With her husband, she co-owns and operates a construction company out of Keenesburg, Colo. as well as run a small performance horse breeding and training operation, Dark Horse Equine. She is passionate about animals, rodeo, family, work and Christ. She plays many roles from business owner, professional cowgirl, rodeo wife, horse trainer and breeder, animal therapist, writer and more; however, being a mom is her favorite job title. I look forward to sharing my experiences and all things western with my audience.