The White Pine Jr/High School Rodeo Club finished up their ‘23-’24 rodeo season at the Wells High School Rodeo on May 10-12, in Wells, Nevada. Points are awarded throughout the year based on placing in the top 10. First place is worth ten points, down to tenth place being worth one point. Each contestant can carry their nine best rodeos to state competition. A contestant who has not placed in the top ten during the year may still attend the finals, but they will not be carrying a ranking. Once points are awarded for the placings at state, the top four in each event move on to the world finals.
The rodeo was full of highs and lows and was bittersweet for our graduating athletes that are moving on to other endeavors and saying farewell to their high school rodeo journey. We wish these graduates the very best moving forward. We will miss their guidance, strength, and mentorship, but are thankful to them for their role in cultivating the younger members and bettering the club as a whole. “Semper ad Meliora” and you will be missed.
The high school team was nearly complete, as it was only missing two members. The present members represented well. Cameron Ashworth made two nice runs in the barrel racing, placing 38th first go, 35th second go and 35th in the average. She placed 18th first go in the goat tying on a tough goat, 17th second go and 18th in the average. She had some penalties with down poles in the pole bending, but still had qualified times; she placed 25th first go, 16th second go and 22nd in the average.
Lainey Barney, one of our graduating seniors, made a very nice first go run in the barrel racing, placing 4th, the second go she was a bit longer, placing 21st and 12th in the average. She heads to the state finals in the barrel racing sitting 26th. She roped with a draw partner in the team roping both gos, but they couldn’t get one roped for a time. Her luck in the breakaway roping was similar to that of the team roping, with two speedy calves getting the best of the run; she heads to state finals in breakaway in 44th place.
Hannah Benjamin, another of our graduating seniors, continued her consistent marksmanship in both the light rifle and trap shoot. She placed 6th overall in trap and 2nd overall in rifle. She goes to the state finals sitting in 3rd in trap and 5th in rifle.
Charlee Mangum completed two confidence building runs in the barrels, placing 36th first go, 34th second go, and 31st in the average. Her first go pole bending run was smooth, but took a pole down, placing 21st. Her second go didn’t come together as hoped and they received a no time, placing 27th in the average.
Heston Rimington is still recovering from an injury, but he mounted his draw in the bull riding both gos. Both gos resulted in a no score, but he rode his heart out, nonetheless. Heston is going into state finals in 8th place in the bull riding. He also shot trap and placed 9th overall, he is currently 10th in the state.
Travis Rimington, one of our graduating seniors from Lund, climbed aboard his bulls for both gos, but they got the better of him as well, receiving no scores. Travis heads to the state finals sitting 6th in the state.
Brooklynn Sena bested the competition in the barrel racing first go, winning the round. She was a bit longer second go, placing 9th, but still pulled off 2nd in the average. She is headed to state finals in the barrel racing in 10th place. Her wily second go goat wouldn’t stay tied, so despite her 7th place first go finish, she was pushed to 21st in the average. She is currently 13th in the standings for goat tying. She and her team roping partner, Rylie, clocked a 12th place finish in the team roping first go, but they didn’t get it turned the second go, for 14th in the average. They are 26th in the state in team roping. The loop didn’t fit first go in the breakaway roping for Brooklynn, but a nice second go loop placed her 3rd in the go and 12th in the average, and she is 32nd in the state in breakaway.
The junior high team competed with three members present. Sawyer Bliss and his team roping partner, Henry, roped for 2nd in the round first go, but struggled to make things happen 2nd go. That first go loop carried them for 4th in the average. Sawyer is heading to state finals in the team roping in 3rd place. His first go breakaway loop came up empty, but he caught second go for 6th place and 9th in the average. He is sitting 6th in the standing for breakaway. His first go in the goat tying was a little clunky and he placed 9th, things smoothed out some for second go, placing 6th and 9th in the average. He is 8th in the state in goat tying. A no time in the ribbon roping first go was a hard blow, but they got it caught second go, placing 5th for 10th in the average. They are 4th in the ribbon roping heading to state.
Kiala Reynolds took advantage of the quickening ground in the first go of the barrel racing, claiming the victory. She ran well enough for 7th in the second go and was 3rd in the average. She heads into the state finals sitting 3rd in the state. Pole bending first go wasn’t quite what she had in mind, placing 15th, and despite a faster run second go, she picked up a penalty and placed 15th again for 13th in the average. She is currently 17th in the state going to the finals. Her aim was on in the breakaway roping both gos, placing 7th first go and 6th second go for 5th in the average. She is in 11th place in the standings for breakaway going into state finals.
Austin Rimington wraps up his rodeo season by sticking out some cold weather and shooting for 9th place overall in the light rifle shoot. Austin is sitting 11th in the state in light rifle. We hope to have him chute dogging as well next year.
With the season ending and state finals on the immediate horizon, the focus becomes intense. Many of our athletes are looking to put their skills against that of the rest of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Australia at the world finals, while others are looking to savor the final moments, before the seasons end. For each of them, this is the culmination of not just a year’s worth of practice and dedication, but the better part of their short lifetime. Success in rodeo can be elusive and is generally proportional to the amount of time, dedication, focus, and sacrifice one is willing to evoke, alongside a little luck. We are so proud of this well-rounded and dedicated group of athletes. They are wonderful representatives of the White Pine community, and we wish them safe travels, fast times, and high scores heading into the Nevada State Rodeo Finals!
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