By Julie Johansen
This year’s National High School Rodeo Finals broke an all time record with a total of 1,787 contestant entries ranging from barrel racing, pole bending, tie down and team roping to barebacks, broncs and bull riding. There were 42 queen and 181 shooting sports contestants. Each year, the numbers just keep growing. The Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo. was home to 1,472 contestants from the United States, 11 from Australia, 109 from Canada and 15 from Mexico during the week of July 13-20.
Local cowboys earning placings at the state finals in order to attend the national competition were Kayson Jensen in barebacks, Korby Christiansen in saddle broncs and Kagen Rhodes in the shooting sports. Jensen scored 60 points on his horse in the second round, placing him sixth, but neither one of the Emery Rodeo Club members made it to the final go. Carbon’s Rhodes finished in the top ten in both of his events, taking second overall in trap shooting and sixth in the light rifle competition.
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- Kagen Rhodes. Photos courtesy of Kendra Rhodes.
