HUNTER HAS A BALL
Michigan cowboy bucks rain, wind to score 82-point ride
as stormy weather makes for some Day One challenges, B1
A FREE publication by Gillette News Record
Rodeo Daily
Monday, July 17, 2017 S FREE S GILLETTENEWSRECORD.COM
NHSFR by
the numbers
1,584: Number of offi-
cial contestants who offi-
cially checked in on time,
including one who actually
arrived six minutes late,
but was granted a reprieve
because of a flat tire.
7: Number of contestant
bibs that werent claimed
by the end of check-in time
at 7a.m. Sunday.
350: Number of pounds
of of dry mix the Mmmini
Donut Diner food truck
brought in anticipation of a
busy week.
22,000: Number of mini
donuts that mix can make.
300: Number of
20-pound bags of ice
NHSFR staff and volun-
teers went through from
Friday through Sunday
morning.
Rodeo
schedule
MONDAY
7a.m.: Trap shooting
range open for practice,
Gillette Gun Club
8-8:10a.m.: Daily devo-
tional with Cory Young,
Central Pavilion
9a.m.: Second rodeo per-
formance, Morningside Park;
cutting, East Pavilion; reined
cow horse, Gillette College
practice arena
10a.m. to 2p.m.: Light
rifle range open for practice,
Gillette Gun Club
10a.m. to 7p.m.: NHSFR
Trade Show, Wyoming center
10a.m. to 5p.m.: College
fair, Energy Hall
1-2p.m.: PRCA Presents
Motivate with Dustin Elliott,
Energy Hall Seminar Room
No. 1
2-4p.m.: Queen auto-
graphs, Wyoming Center
2:30-4p.m.: PRCA rough
stock clinics, Central Pavilion
3-4p.m.: PRCA Presents
WPRA 101 with Janet
Cooper, Energy Hall Seminar
Room No. 1
3-5p.m.: Cowboy/
cowgirls ethics sessions
by Fellowship of Christian
Cowboys, Heritage Center
Theater
5:30p.m.: Cinch
team and captain photos,
Morningside Park rough
stock arena
7p.m.: Third rodeo per-
formance, Morningside Park;
cutting, East Pavilion; reined
cow horse, Gillette College
practice arena
10:30p.m. to 1a.m.:
Contestants dance, Central
Pavilion
Inside
n They said it, A3
n Last call, close call, A4
n Short goes, A4
n Movies in Wyoming, A7
n Performance 1, B1
n A symphony of talent, B3
n Rodeo cowboy returns, B4
n Rodeo results, B5
News Record Photo/ Ed Glazar
Hunter Ball of Carsonville, Mich., hangs on for the top score
in the first go of bull riding.
Team Texas
has much
to live up to
Legacy of defending
NHSFR champions
includes 33 team titles
By JASON KORT
NEWS RECORD WRITER
jkort@gillettenewsrecord.net
Everything is bigger and better in
Texas at least that whats Texans
say.
In the world of high school rodeo,
theres some truth to that.
Consider that the Texas High
School Rodeo Association has more
than 1,200 members. With that large
of a membership, rodeo athletes have
News Record Photos/Kelly Wenzel to be the best of the best to repre-
sent their state at the National High
Rodeo contests ride around on their Minnesota Proud golf cart Sunday morning at the National High School School Finals Rodeo.
Finals Rodeo. Decorating the carts not only makes it easier for people to pick out their carts from among the Consider as well that:
760 at Cam-plex this week, its also a way to show individual and state pride. The Lone Star State is the
returning team NHSFR champion,
Tricked out
including the 2016 title for the Texas
boys.
Texas also has a history of rodeo
excellence, holding the record for
the most national team titles with 33.
Oklahoma and Utah are tied for sec-
ond with eight championships each.
The state has 61 qualifiers for
this years NHSFR, by far the most
Golf cart decorations show off state pride
of the 38 states, four provinces and
Australia. Only five of those are in
their first year of high school rodeo.
Thirty-five of those cowboys and
cowgirls are entering their senior year
By PERRIN STEIN of high school or have graduated, so
NEWS RECORD WRITER
they have plenty of experience.
pstein@gillettenewsrecord.net So what is it about Texas? What
makes the team so good?
F
lags and streamers fluttered from dozens of golf carts lined up out- That depends on who you ask, but
side the Wyoming Center on Sunday as contestants zipped around some common threads can be found.
this years National High School Finals Rodeo. Faith, family and focus
Maggie Burke of Iowa, who is competing in the queen contest, spent three Bret Barnard, the 2016 national
hours before traveling to Gillette for the NHSFR gathering decorations to turn champion in trap shooting and
her golf cart into a pig. the only returning national champion
from 2016 for team Texas point-
An ice cream bucket spray-painted pink is the nose, fuzzy pink toilet seat ed to three traits successful Texans
covers hang off the side of the cart as ears and a small, curled pool noodle share: faith, family and focus.
makes for a cute little curlicue tail. There is just that tradition and we
take pride to uphold that, Barnard
Everyone knows that Iowa has a lot said. I think we work harder than
of corn, so I thought most people from everyone else. We take the the time to
Iowa would decorate their carts in do more and it has paid off.
some sort of corn theme, Burke said. The Oklahoma State University
I wanted to come up with something commit credited his faith for all he
different, so I thought I would do a pig. has accomplished and, although
There are a lot of pigs around where I Barnard is biased, said he believes
live, and it seemed like a fun idea. that Texas is just better. God blessed
In addition to turning her cart into Texas.
one fine swine, Burke carefully sten- Barnard said family support also
ciled the outline of her state Iowa has allowed him to practice regularly
and her name in red, white and year-round basis because his father
blue glitter glue so people will know built a trap box so he could get in live
this princess of a porker golf cart is the practice whenever he wants.
property of a queen. Participating in rodeo unites Texas
Its a good way to identify your as one big family, he said, because
rented golf cart from the hundreds of were all in the same line of business,
others speeding around Cam-plex for even if theyre not blood family.
the rodeo, but decorating them has A two-time state champion,
become an art form for the contestants. Barnard has been competitively
The decorations are a great way to trap shooting for two years. He said
show where were from and to have he has no problem coming to the
some fun as were driving around to all Cowboy State to show them how its
the events and competitions, Burke done.
At last years NHSFR, he posted a
said.
A trio of cowboys get in a little roping practice from the back of a golf perfect score in trap shooting to win
Shelcy Uchima brought plastic
flowers, a grass skirt and hula necklac- cart ride on the back of a golf cart at the Boxelder Campground on the title, the only time he has ever
Saturday afternoon before the National High School Finals Rodeo began done that.
es while making a pair of airline flights
Sunday evening.
and a four-hour drive to get to Gillette.
The items were to help her team See TEXAS, Page A3
team Hawaii bring a little of the and yellow and orange streamers to
islands to the NHSFR. show her state pride.
I also had a giant flag, but I put it in Its not done yet, Harwell said.
a suitcase I forgot to bring, she said. We still have more flags and streamers
I still think it will still turn out well, to add. Someone else from the team
though. even plans to have a piata.
By Sunday, Uchima had not fin- About the tradition of decorating,
ished decorating the Hawaii carts. She Harwell said that if you ask the par-
wanted to make sure they had as many ents, theyll say its so we know which
flowers as possible. cart is ours. But really, its to let people
We want to show people who the know where were from and that were
Hawaii team is and what Hawaii is proud of it.
like, she said. And that is exactly what New
New Mexico barrel racer and pole Mexico parent Corie Washburn said More than 700 golf carts will be
bending competitor Jorie Harwell cov-
ered her cart in the New Mexico flag
rented out during the National LAST CALL,
See TRICKED OUT, Page A3 High School Finals Rodeo.
CLOSE CALL
Its not done yet. We still have more flags and streamers to add. Montana contestant is
Someone else from the team even plans to have a piata. the final check-in allowed
JORIE HARWELL OF TEAM NEW MEXICO for 2017 NHSFR, A4
About how the decoration of her teams state-themed golf cart is going. She didnt elaborate if the piata will be filled with goodies.