ALAMOSA – The 75th Annual National High School Finals Rodeo will begin on Sunday in Gillette, Wyo., and five youth cowboys and cowgirls from the San Luis Valley will be participating.
The NHSFR is the world’s largest rodeo with more than 1,700 contestants from 44 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand participating. In return for competing for more than $150,000 in prizes and more than $150,000 in added money, NHSFR contestants will also be competing for more then $375,000 in college championships and the chance to be named an NHSFR World Champion.
To earn the World Championship title, contestants must finish in the Top 20 – based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds – to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/scores.
This year’s SLV representatives are Gracie Wilson of Center, Klayt Stoudt of Saguache, Ben Sittler of Monte Vista, Cayden Schulz of Alamosa, and Tylee DeHerrera of La Jara.
Staudt will be competing in two events – boys cutting and team roping. His cutting performances will be on Monday morning and on July 22 evening. He will team with Rett Coors of Loveland in team roping and they will perform on Tuesday morning and Thursday evening.
Wilson will compete in barrel racing and her runs will be on Monday evening and the morning of July 22.
Sittler will be in bull riding and he will compete on Monday evening and the morning on July 22.
Schulz will compete in steer wrestling and his performances will be on Monday morning and the evening of July 22.
DeHerrera, who competes in the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association, will also be in team roping with Kaysen Shahan of Chromo. They will compete on Monday morning and on the evening of July 22.
One local competed at NJHSFR
The National Junior High School Finals Rodeo took place on June 18-24 in Macon, Ga., with one performer from the San Luis Valley competing.
Raelynn Bouet of Saguache competed in team roping with Casen Pridemore of Salida. They completed two successful runs recording times of 18.09 and 14.13 seconds for a total of 32.22. They finished in 36th place in the standings.
