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High school rodeo: WY captures 2 titles

Colton Kofoed, Bear River, Wyo., tied three in 26.81 seconds to earn the national high school rodeo tie-down roping title. Photos by Jennings Photography

Game faces were on for the National High School Finals Rodeo Short-Go round as competitors put it all on the line to win the prestigious Gist Silversmiths buckles and Slone Saddles that come with a National title.

The new NHSRA Queen made Texas proud. Chloe Costello, the 17-year-old from Kaufman, will represent NHSRA this next year. She is the 2015 Miss Rodeo Austin, her Class President and Class Favorite with a 6.3 GPA and number one in class ranking. She is also active in National Honor Society, Student Council, and Fellowship of Christian Athletes, while serving as the Varsity Head Cheerleader.

The Bareback Bronc Riding National Championship had room for two in the winner’s circle with aggregate scores of 215. La Barge, Wyoming’s, Brian Brown, will go home as the new National Champion. He rode his bronc to the tune of 73 points in the short-go. 17-year-old, Brown attends Big Piney High School as an 11th-grader. He shares that Championship title with Rio Lee of Benson, Arizona. Lee made a short-go ride of 72 points. Lee is 18-years-old and enjoys hiking, skiing, surfing and riding horses. He is going to college for a pilot’s license this fall.



The new Breakaway Roping National Champion is Utah’s Kaytlyn Miller. With a winning short-go time of 2.01 seconds, Miller sealed the deal with an aggregate of 7.87 seconds on three head. A rookie here at NHSFR, Miller is the 2014 NJHFR All-Around, 2013/2014 Utah JH All-Around and the NJHFR Team Roping Reserve Champion.

Goat Tier, Mia Manzanares from Opelousas, Louisiana is taking home the National Champion Gist Silversmiths buckle. Tying in a quick 7.58 seconds in the short-go, Manzanares had an aggregate time of 21.34 seconds. She is the 2012 NHSFR All-Around Champion and Rookie All-Around, 2014 NHSFR All-Around Champion and Goat Tying Champion. The 18-year-old attends Opelousas Catholic.



Tie-Down Roper, Colton Kofoed is the new National Champion. Kofoed is from Bear River, Wyoming and enjoys tie-down roping. He is looking forward to going to Argentina to serve a two-year mission for his church. With the fastest run of the entire NHSFR, a 7.92 second run, Kofoed roped and tied three head in 26.81 seconds.

The National Saddle Bronc Riding Championship went to the well known Wright family for the third year in a row. With a good mark out and some snazzy spurring action in his blood, Ryder Wright takes home the title placing first in the short-go with a score of 75 points and an aggregate score of 232 points. The Milford, Utah cowboy is 17-years-old and enjoys cruising on his dirt bike.

Steer Wrestler, Gabe Soileau from Bunkie, Louisiana made a solid business run, placing him fourth in the short-go with a 7.93 second run. His aggregate time on three steers wrestled was 21.03 seconds naming him the National Champion. Soileau is a 17-year-old 11th-grader at Sacred Heart High School.

18-year-old Pole Bender, Avery Weatherman from Balmorhea, Texas weaved her way to the top with an aggregate score of 59.882 seconds on three runs. Her short-go time was 20.453 seconds, placing her in the middle of the pack, but as you know consistency is key, which lead her to the National Championship. Weatherman is a two-time NHSFR qualifier, as well as a two-time TXHSRA Region 2 Pole Bending Champion. She enjoys basketball and FFA.

Team Ropers threw it all out there tonight, but Florida cowboy, Garret McDonald and Alabama cowboy, Luke Taylor won the short-go with a 5.49 second run, sealing the deal with an aggregate time of 21.21 seconds. McDonald is the 2015 ALHSRA All-Around Cowboy. Taylor is the 2015 Resvoui Champion Calf Roper, his Senior Class Vice President and FFA Vice President. He is involved in Coffee County Youth Leadership and enjoys fishing and hunting.

The Barrel Racing National Championship went to Ali Armstrong from Lexington, Oklahoma. With a speedy second place run in the short-go of 17.269 seconds. She had an aggregate score of 52.054 seconds. Armstrong enjoys training and running barrel horses.

National Champion Bull Rider, Wyatt Covington from Sequim, Washington rode for a 72 point score in the short-round, totaling his aggregate score to 214 points. Covington enjoys hunting and fishing with his two best friends Cody and Brady. He is 18-years-old and attends Sequim High School.

Jack Jaros from St. Charles, Iowa won the NHSRA Boys Cutting National Title with a short-go score of 149, giving him an aggregate score of 439 on three goes. Jaros is 17-years-old and an 11th-grader with an Academic Letter along with a 4.2 GPA at Valley High School. He enjoys 4H, fishing, hunting and hockey.

The Girls Cutting National Champion is Sidney Amos from Loma, Colorado. Amos scored 152 points in the short-go to take the title with an aggregate of 452 points.

The first ever Reined Cow Horse National Champion was awarded. Wyatt Fisher of Nipomo, California ended the performances with a total score of 885 points. Fisher is the 2015 CAHSRA District 7 Reined Cow Horse Champion, 2014 NSHA Amateur Futurity Champion, 2014 NRCHA Youth Bridle Champion, and the 2015 NRCHA Stakes Amateur Reserve Champion.

Utah swept the team standings overall with a total of 10,526.66 points. They took home both the boys and girls team standings as well.

Kaysville, Utah’s cowboy, Ladd King took home the coveted All Around Cowboy title. King is 18-years-old and attends Davis High.

Utah is also home to the new All Around Cowgirl Utah’s Kaytlyn Miller. A rookie here at NHSFR, Miller is the 2014 NJHFR All-Around, 2013/2014 Utah JH All-Around and the NJHFR Team Roping Reserve Champion.

They still have cowboys in New York! The new All Around Rookie Cowboy, Daylon Swearingen calls Piffard, New York home. He accumulated 530 points while at NHSFR.

Kaytlyn Miller of Dammeron Valley, Utah also took home the All Around Rookie Cowgirl title with a total of 1,600 points.

The top 20 contestants, based on aggregate times/scores from round one and two, in each event advanced to the Short-go. There were 1,604 contestants that competed at NHSFR this year.

–National High School Finals Rodeo