Panhandle youth to compete at State High School Finals Rodeo

By: Ruth Nicolaus

The entry list has been set for the Nebraska State High School Finals Rodeo, to be held in Hastings June 13-15 at the Adams County Fairgrounds.

Over 250 high school rodeo athletes will compete in twelve events. The top four competitors in each event at the state level will earn a berth at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyo., July 14-20, where national champions will be crowned in each event.

Included in the contestant list is Alliance resident Lauren Lehl, who will compete in the barrel racing and pole bending.

Hyannis sends four cowgirls to Hastings: Payton Gorwill in the girls cutting and team roping; Ashlyn Henderson in the barrels, breakaway, goats and poles; Shailey McAbee in the breakaway and poles, and Emma Ohm in the barrels, breakaway, goat tying and team roping.

Two Bingham youth have qualified for state: Jackson Davis and Cameron Jensen, both in the steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and team roping.

The twelve events include bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing, boys cutting, girls cutting, and bull riding.

The Finals, the culmination of 28 regular season rodeos, will be held at 10 am and 6 pm on June 13-14, with the short round on June 15 at 1 pm. After Thursday and Friday’s performances, the top ten contestants in each event will advance to the short round on June 15. The cutting will be held at 7:30 am on June 13-14, with the short round at 8 am on June 15. The 2019-2020 Miss Nebraska High School Rodeo Queen will be crowned prior to the performance on June 15. For more information, visit www.AdamsCountyFairgrounds.com or call 402.462.3247. For information on the Nebraska State High School Rodeo Association, visit www.hsrodeo-nebraska.com.

Qualifying high school rodeo contestants for the 2019 Nebraska State High School Finals Rodeo (list and ranking of student athlete subject to change; hometown is in Nebraska unless specified):

Bareback Riding

Gauge McBride, Kearney
Spencer Denaeyer, Seneca
Brody Benson, Valentine

Barrel Racing

Jenae Whitaker, Chambers
Elle Ravenscroft, Nenzel
Mataya Eklund, Valentine
Shanna Bailey, Lakeside
Summer Richardson, Ainsworth
Ashlyn Henderson, Hyannis
Bailey Witt, Valentine
Ashlyn Jensen, Burwell
Madison Mills, Eddyville
Abigail Lawton, Overton
Taci Flinn, Arcadia
Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
Lexie Lowery, Burwell
Reece Stanley, Sidney
Madison Stracke, Stuart
Mekenna Fisher, Hershey
Lauren Lehl, Alliance
Emma Ohm, Hyannis
Brooklyn Leach, Dunning
Adeline Hobbs, Mitchell
Caitlin Tibbs, Hastings
Jaden Mathis, Atkinson
Hanna Huffman, Burwell
Brooke McCully, Mullen
Fayth From, Crookston
Tehya From, Crookston
Aluxyn Hollenbeck, Valentine
Taya McMillen, Lodgepole
Aubrey Frye, Whitman
Bradie Crouse, Blair

Boys Cutting

Sage Konicek, Ord
Hayden Jennings, Seneca
Kaine Stokey, Sutherland
Cody Miller, Broken Bow
Wacey Flack, Maywood
Frazier Kaelin, Ansley
Colten Storer, Arthur
Zack Bradley, Brewster
Mason Ward, North Platte
Matt Symonds, Mitchell
Cooper Bass, Brewster
Chance Mignery, Hastings

Breakaway Roping

Clare Kohl, Surprise
Emma Ohm, Hyannis
Brooke McCully, Mullen
Matya Eklund, Valentine
Aluxyn Hollenbeck, Valentine
Wacey Day, Fleming
Riata Day, Fleming
Summer Richardson, Ainsworth
Jentri Hurlburt, Arcadia
Jaya Nelson, Bassett
Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
Shayda Vaughn, Hershey
Emily Stewart, Beatrice
Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
Elle Ravenscroft, Nenzel
Jessica Stevens, Creighton
Jaycee Wooters, Elwood
Maddie Stump, Elsmere
Jenae Whitaker, Chambers
Brooke Becker, Hastings
Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington
Faith Storer, Arthur
Bailey Witt, Valentine
Josee Saults, Big Springs
Shailey McAbee, Hyannis
Tehya From, Crookston
Bradie Crouse, Blair
Isabella Budzinski, Central City
Ashlyn Henderson, Hyannis
Rylee Naprstek, Gothenburg

Bull Riding

Mason Ward, North Platte
Conner Halverson, Gordon
Dodge Daniels, Scotia
Ben Wood, Greeley
Gauge McBride, Kearney
Teran Sharman, Palmer
Brady Painter, Long Pine
BJ McAbee, Ansley
Jared Shaw, Bassett

Girls Cutting

Concey Bader, Palmer
Ashton Troyer, West Point
Faith Storer, Arthur
Maddie Stump, Elsmere
Alexis Rutar, Springview
Kesha DeGroff, Broken Bow
Mekenna Fisher, Hershey
Payton Gorwill, Hyannis

Goat Tying

Riata Day, Fleming, Colorado
Jessica Stevens, Creighton
Mataya Eklund, Valentine
Bailey Witt, Valentine
Wacey Day, Fleming, Colorado
Kinley Greenough, Kearney
Ashlyn Henderson, Hyannis
Raesha Warren, Thedford
Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
Bradie Crouse, Blair
Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington
Katie Miles, Arthur
Emma Ohm, Hyannis
Hanna Huffman, Burwell
Elle Ravenscroft, Nenzel
Abigail Lawton, Overton
Jordan Peterson, Arthur
Avery Hobbs, Mitchell
Mekenna Fisher, Hershey
Jaycee Woters, Elwood
Kailey Pinney, Mitchell
Kenna McCaslin, Broken Bow
Brooklyn Leach, Dunning
Chloe Marshall, Burwell
Kaci Wickersham, Orchard

Pole Bending

Halli Haskell, Ainsworth
Madison Mills, Eddyville
Riata Day, Fleming, Colorado
Mataya Eklund, Valentine
Kalyn Nielsen, Verdigre
Adeline Hobbs, Mitchell
Ashlyn Henderson, Hyannis
Hanna Huffman, Burwell
Abigail Lawton, Overton
Jenae Whitaker, Chambers
Summer Richardson, Ainsworth
Taci Flinn, Arcadia
Lexie Lowery, Burwell
Andrea Meyer, Stapleton
Madison Stracke, Stuart
Jordan Peterson, Arthur
Shanna Bailey, Lakeside
Ashley Odenbach, Taylor
Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington
Jasmine Dyer, Crawford
Aubrey Frye, Whitman
Shailey McAbee, Hyannis
Taylyn Bauer, Chappell
Lauren Lehl, Alliance
Fayth From, Crookston
Annah Wareham, North Platte
Ashlyn Jensen, Burwell
Mekenna Fisher, Hershey
Caitlin Tibbs, Hastings
Elle Ravenscroft, Nenzel

Saddle Bronc Riding

Sage Miller, Springview
Jack Skavdahl, Marsland
Brody McAbee, Ansley
Nathan Burnett, Shelton
Gus Franzen, Kearney
Dean Schroder, Taylor
Gauge McBride, Kearney
Tanner Whetham, Morrill
Dalton Kunkee, Lexington
Samuel Florell, Kearney
Edward Daley, Paxton
Monte Bailey, Lakeside
Leif Meidell, Harrison
Spencer Denaeyer, Seneca

Steer Wrestling

1. Gus Franzen, Kearney

2. Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton

3. Quade Potter, Cambridge

4. Evan Hewett, Dunning

5. Colten Storer, Arthur

6. Rhett Witt, Valentine

7. Sage Miller, Springview

8. Clay Holz, Niobrara

9. Tanner Whetham, Morrill

10. Zeb Heggem, Torrington, Wyo.

11. Tyler Ravenscroft, Nenzel

12. Dalton Kunkee, Lexington

13. Cameron Jensen, Bingham

14. Tucker Ravenscroft, Nenzel

15. Dane Pokorny, Stapleton

16. Cody Miller, Broken Bow

17. Lane Chasek, Mitchell

18. Weston Kunkee, Lexington

19. Thayne Kimbrough, Ohiowa

20. Jackson Davis, Bingham

21. Trayton Travnicek, Minatare

22. Gage Davis, Cody

23. Trace Travnicek, Minatare

Team Roping

1. Colton Storer, Arthur

2. Lane Chasek, Mitchell

3. Cameron Jensen, Bingham

4. Tanner Whetham, Morrill

5. Clay Holz, Niobrara

6. Wyatt Colman, O’Neill

7. Sage Konicek, Ord

8. Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton

9. Cooper Bass, Brewster

10. Zack Bradley, Brewster

11. Cole Dwyer, Burwell

12. Ashley Odenbach, Taylor

13. Sage Miller, Springview

14. Quade Potter, Cambridge

15. Grant Turek, St. Paul

16. Ty Bass, Brewster

17. Ralph Saults, Big Springs

18. Skyler Hund, North Platte

19. Tyson Stracke, Stuart

20. Jate Saults, Big Springs

21. Talon Petska, Ord

22. Ryan Shepherd, North Patte

23. Hayse Wetzel, Palmer

24. Jake Chasek, Mitchell

25. Justin Chase, Mitchell

26. Jentri Hurlburt, Arcadia

27. Trey Garey, Broken Bow

28. Jack Skavdahl, Marsland

29. Chance Symons, Mitchell

30. Cameron Lancaster, Beatrice

31. Frazier Kaelin, Ansley

32. Cody Miller, Broken Bow

33. Matthew Miller, Callaway

34. Jackson Davis, Bingham

35. Brooke McCully, Mullen

36. Jaya Nelson, Bassett

37. Shayda Vaughn, Hershey

38. Zane Kreikemeier, Callaway

39. Tucker Ravenscroft, Nenzel

40. Payton Gorwill, Hyannis

41. Emma Ohm, Hyannis

42. Jaden Mathis, Atkinson

43. Trayton Travnicek, Minatare

44. Trace Travnicek, Minatare

45. Cole Laible, Atkinson

46. Trent Marshall, Burwell

47. Clare Kohl, Surprise

48. Hayes Hammond, Valentine

49. Bailey Witt, Valentine

50. Andrew Koenig, Ewing

51. Cody Fosket, Mitchell

52. Rhett Witt, Valentine

53. Wacey Day, Fleming, Colorado

54. Annah Wareham, North Platte

55. Kaine Stokey, Sutherland

56. Wacey Flack, Maywood

57. Cinch Heikel, Hazard

58. Gus Franzen, Kearney

59. Grant Lindsley, Osceola

60. Hunter Heath, Minden

61. Tanner Drueke, Sutherland

62. Gage Davis, Cody

(due to a tie, there are 31 teams competing at state finals)

Tie-Down Roping

1. Grant Turek, St. Paul

2. Tanner Whetham, Morrill

3. Cameron Jensen, Bingham

4. Gus Franzen, Kearney

5. Justin Chasek, Mitchell

6. Rhett Witt, Valentine

7. Jake Chasek, Mitchell

8. Clay Holz, Niobrara

9. Cole Laible, Atkinson

10. Quade Potter, Cambridge

11. GrantLindsley, Osceola

12. Sage Konieck, Ord

13. Cody Miller, Broken Bow

14. Ralph Saults, Big Springs

15. Trent Marshall, Burwell

16. Colten Storer, Arthur

17. Cody Fosket, Mitchell

18. Sage Miller, Springview

19. Talon Petska, Ord

20. Andrew Koenig, Ewing

21. Matthew Miller, Callaway

22. Jackson Davis, Bingham

23. Zane Kreikemeier, Callaway

24. Trey Garey, Broken Bow

25. Zack Bradley, Brewster

26. Ty Bass, Brewster

27. Frazier Kaelin, Ansley

28. Jate Saults, Big Springs

29. Chance Symons, Mitchll

30. Pake Haun, Mitchell

31. Kaden Wooters, Elwood

(due to a tie for 30^th place between Haun and Wooters, there are 31 qualifiers competing at state finals)