Local students qualify for national rodeo
Area high schoolers also qualify for state competition
Three local high schoolers in the California High School Rodeo Association District 7 have qualified for the 2012 National High School Finals Rodeo, which will be held July 16 to 22 in Wyoming.
The members placed in the top four of their respective events at the California state finals competition to help District 7 finish third place in overall points.
NHSFR is the largest rodeo in the world, attracting about 1,500 contestants from across the United States, Canada and Australia.
Athletes compete for national titles, prizes and thousands of dollars in college scholarships.
District 7 encompasses San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
Area national qualifiers include Arroyo Grande High student Jacob Lees of Nipomo for bareback riding, Family Partnership Charter School student Ali Bilkey of Santa Ynez for pole bending and Santa Ynez Valley High School student Hayley Hamer of Los Olivos for cutting.
Bilkey’s horse, Sonny, was also named California Horse of the Year for the second year in a row by the American Quarter Horse Association.
Eighteen District 7 members, placing fifth through 15th, qualified for the Silver State International Rodeo, which is Monday through July 7 in Winnemucca, Nev.
Those local qualifiers include Bilkey in cutting, Nipomo High student Emily Mangione in pole bending, Orcutt Academy High student Cersten Branquinho of Los Alamos in breakaway roping, Righetti High student Caden Clay for team roping (header), Righetti High student Kelsi Pond in goat tying and Templeton Independent Study student Dane Bass of Los Osos in steer wrestling.
Arroyo Grande High student qualifiers include Wyatt Cox in team roping (heeler), Rachel Dewar in cutting and barrel racing, Sara Honegger in pole bending and Tristan Ruffoni in team roping (header).
Chili’s restaurants in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande are helping the District 7 qualifiers raise money to attend the national competition.
Patrons of either restaurant can mention their support of the CHSRA National Rodeo contestants from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday. The restaurants will donate 15 percent of the bill to District 7.
The members placed in the top four of their respective events at the California state finals competition to help District 7 finish third place in overall points.
NHSFR is the largest rodeo in the world, attracting about 1,500 contestants from across the United States, Canada and Australia.
Athletes compete for national titles, prizes and thousands of dollars in college scholarships.
District 7 encompasses San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
Area national qualifiers include Arroyo Grande High student Jacob Lees of Nipomo for bareback riding, Family Partnership Charter School student Ali Bilkey of Santa Ynez for pole bending and Santa Ynez Valley High School student Hayley Hamer of Los Olivos for cutting.
Bilkey’s horse, Sonny, was also named California Horse of the Year for the second year in a row by the American Quarter Horse Association.
Eighteen District 7 members, placing fifth through 15th, qualified for the Silver State International Rodeo, which is Monday through July 7 in Winnemucca, Nev.
Those local qualifiers include Bilkey in cutting, Nipomo High student Emily Mangione in pole bending, Orcutt Academy High student Cersten Branquinho of Los Alamos in breakaway roping, Righetti High student Caden Clay for team roping (header), Righetti High student Kelsi Pond in goat tying and Templeton Independent Study student Dane Bass of Los Osos in steer wrestling.
Arroyo Grande High student qualifiers include Wyatt Cox in team roping (heeler), Rachel Dewar in cutting and barrel racing, Sara Honegger in pole bending and Tristan Ruffoni in team roping (header).
Chili’s restaurants in Paso Robles and Arroyo Grande are helping the District 7 qualifiers raise money to attend the national competition.
Patrons of either restaurant can mention their support of the CHSRA National Rodeo contestants from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday. The restaurants will donate 15 percent of the bill to District 7.
