Texas High School Rodeo Finals Kicks Off With a Bang

The Texas state high school finals kicked off in Abilene, Texas with cutting, reined cow horse, light rifle and trap shooting.

One of the most thrilling aspects of rodeo is watching the younger generation keep this amazing sport alive. The prime showcase of this is the National High School Rodeo Association which spans the entire nation, giving opportunity to all high school aged kids to compete.

This past week in Abilene, Texas all of the regions of the Texas NHSRA came together for their highly competetive state finals. To kick off the finals it was a not the typical rodeo events that viewers are used to spectating. Leading things off were the cutting, reined cow horse and trap shooting.

In the cutting, the young riders cut cows back and forth on their highly skilled equine partners, all gunning for the national qualifications. Only the top four contestants from each event make the National High School Rodeo Finals in Wyoming. After two go rounds and a short go in the boys cutting, it was Logan Harlan who won the first round and the average with a total of 436.5 points. Harlan will joined at Nationals by Dakota West (436 points), Payden Rust (435.5 points) and Randall Graham (434 points). In the Girls Cutting it was Mattie Coberly taking home the win with a massive average of 439 points. The other three talented cowgirls to make the national team was Preslie Green (438 points), Haylee King (439.5 points) and Breanna Collier (439 points).

Reined Cow Horse is a newer event offered to the high school students and is combined for both the mens and womens. All the riders showed incredible horsemanship amongst the intense competition. There was no denying though that Quincy Probst came out on top winning all the go rounds and average for a total score of 865.5 points. The other three riders competing in nationals will be Cooper Noland (854 points), Bayleigh Melton (846.5 points) and Klare Segura (840.5 points)

Changing things up and switching over to the firearm events, these don't require any livestock at all but still a great showcase of the skills of the young guns with guns. In the light rifle all competitors shoot in the positions of prone, standing and kneeling. After the first relay and short run it was Tilden Shofner who came out ahead with a grand total of 613 points. Along with Shofner it will be Jack Shofner (611 points), Campbell Peues (601 points) and Harley Odom (592 points). In the trap shooting Will LeMay topped the leaderboard after two rounds with 190 points. Just behind him was Randy Quattlebaum (180 points), Trey Miller (176 points) and finally Barret Shelton (168 points).

Congratulations to all the competitors and good luck in Wyoming at the National High School Finals come July.