By Julie Johansen
Hayden Cloward, a recent graduate of Emery High and resident of Castle Dale, qualified for the Roy Cooper Jr. National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in tie down calf roping. Cloward was one of the two qualifiers from Utah to join the 24 contestants competing in Las Vegas over the weekend.
The event is hosted at the Las Vegas Convention Center during the regular NFR. Other contestants came from throughout the country as well as one from Brazil. Contestants must be 19 years of age or under and are chosen at previous rodeos throughout the country.
Cloward finished fourth in the field after three rounds of competition. He roped a consistent 10-12 seconds and finished only a few tenths of a second out of the top three. He is presently attending South Plains Texas College on a rodeo scholarship.
