For More Information:
Mike Hausmann
Media Coordinator
National High School Rodeo Association
1-800-466-4772 Ext. 213
mike@nhsra.org

July 21, 2005

“NHSRA Wrangler Division Wraps Up 1st Annual Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo”

The Wrangler Junior High Division of the National High School Rodeo Association put one down for the history books as it wrapped up the 1st Annual Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo on July 8, 2005, in Gallup, N.M.

The event offered more than $50,000 in college scholarships and $150,000 in prizes for the contestants, as well as the opportunity to make history as the first-ever Wrangler Division national champions. Prizes included the use of a Sundowner trailer for a year for the All-Around Cowboy and Cowgirl, plus Tod Slone Saddles, Gist Buckles, Carhartt outerwear, Wrangler Hats, Teskey’s products, and various other Wrangler products and gift certificates for the top four finishers in each event.

“The event was even more successful than we could have imagined,” said Jared Higby, Wrangler Division Coordinator. “We had 609 sixth, seventh, and eighth-grade contestants from 29 states and one Canadian province, which is just incredible for this Division being in its first year. We’re really proud of the week’s events, and it is only going to grow from here.”

Thirteen students in grades sixth through eighth grade walked away with national championship titles to their names, with two students earning top honors as both All-Around champions and event champions.

In a heated battle for the All-Around Cowboy title, Tuf Cooper of Texas and Seth Hall of N.M. both put on outstanding performances in each of their events. In the end, it was Cooper, son of the legendary tie-down roper Roy Cooper, who pulled the Sundowner trailer home, with Hall winning Reserve All-Around Cowboy honors.

The girls All-Around title was a battle within the state of Oklahoma. Katie White of Texas, rodeoing on the Oklahoma team, won in the end with a victory over teammate Jessica Koppitz, who walked away with the saddle for the Reserve All-Around Cowgirl title.
Even though the two girls battled it out for the national title, together they helped the Oklahoma Girls Team win the first National Girls Team title.

The New Mexico Boys Team, led by Hall, who also took home national championships in calf roping and team roping, won the Boys Team title. New Mexico also took home the National Champion Team trophy with the Boys and Girls teams combined.

In the girls’ events, it was White from team Oklahoma who walked away with the Pole Bending title. California’s Tyla Treasure was the Reserve National Champion, with Destri Davenport, also of California, coming in third and Kellie Hailey of Mississippi in fourth.

Bailey Sue Morris of Missouri took home the Barrel Racing title, with fellow southerner Lynsey Reed of Louisiana taking home the reserve title. Utah’s Shelby Pickup was the third place finisher, with Chalon LeFebre of New Mexico rounding out the top four barrel racers in the nation.

Kyla Foster of Louisiana was the Girls Goat Tying Champion. And the strong Oklahoma girls team was further strengthened by Keely Jo Weger, who finished second. Kindee Wilson of Idaho won third place honors, while fourth went to North Dakota’s Sadie
Gjermundson.

The girls’ breakaway roping was a close competition, but Oklahoma’s Jessica Koppitz came out on top, with Kaity Ray of New Mexico finishing in second. Charlie Opela of Nebraska came in third, while Lacie Ann Boothe of Virginia took fourth.

In the boys’ Breakaway Roping, New Mexico’s Ramon Hancock handily took the national championship, roping three head in 8.661 seconds. Ethan McDowell was nearly two seconds behind him to take second with a 10.38. Chase Sullivan of Utah and Matt Cover of Nebraska came in third and fourth, respectively.

Calf roping again saw a battle between Cooper and Hall. After a long time in the second go, Cooper lost his bid for the championship to Hall by nearly a second, sending Hall home with the coveted calf roping title for the state of New Mexico. Fellow New Mexico cowboy Chase Williams handily won third, while South Dakota Cowboy Trey Young, rodeoing for North Dakota, came in fourth.

Georgia took top honors in the Chute Dogging event, with cowboy Caleb Harvard taking home the championship honors. Oregon cowboy Beau Lewis, rodeoing with team Washington, came in second, while All-Around hand Cooper was third. Another Oregon cowboy on team Washington took home honors, with Ethan Weiser capturing fourth place in the chute dogging.

The team roping event saw the New Mexico team of Josh Siggins and Seth Hall take home the National Championship, with Chandler “Chan-Man” Baggerly and Andrew Cameron of Texas coming in with the reserve title. Austin Atkin and Chase Sullivan of Utah won third place honors, and Trey Hedrick and Russin Wilson of Alabama rounded out the top four finishers.

The Texas team of Cooper and Madelyn Smith swept the Ribbon Roping competition, winning the event by nearly eight seconds ahead of the North Dakota team of Trey Young and Taylor Showmaker. Chase Williams and Kaylin Beeman of New Mexico took home third place honors, while Jared Thompson and J’Nae Mullen of Idaho went home wearing the fourth place buckles.

After a week of intense competition in the boys’ goat tying, two states emerged victorious. Colorado’s Kyle Dickens came out as the National Champion, with Emerson Long, Jr., of New Mexico in second. Reserve All-Around winner Seth Hall was third in the boy’s goat tying, with Colorado’s Justin Samora in fourth.

Texas dominated in the Junior Bull Riding, with Colby Scallions of Itasca, Texas winning the national championship, Trey Benton III of Rock Island, Texas as the Reserve winner, and Reid Barker of Comfort, Texas in third. Kansas rounded out the top four finishers with Cory Hutchinson of Haysville, Kansas in fourth.

The NHSRA Wrangler Division was created in 2004 to promote the sport of rodeo and the western heritage to junior high students.
The Division is overseen by a national board of directors, with members being elected or appointed on the state and provincial level.
A full-time staff in Denver, Colorado completes the daily activities for the Division.

The National High School Rodeo Association is one of the fastest growing youth organizations in the nation, with an annual membership of over 10,500 students from 40 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia. The Association sanctions over 1,100 rodeos each year. For more information on the NHSRA and the Wrangler Division, visit the association’s official website located at www.nhsra.org.

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