The Nevada State High School Finals Rodeo was held in Las Vegas for junior high on May 24-25 and high schools competed May 26-28.
Battle Mountain was the only local team to bring back first place finishes, but Lovelock and Humboldt County also qualified cowboys and/or cowgirls to compete in the National Finals.
The top four finishers in each event at state go on to the National Finals in Wyoming, while places 5-15 will go to the Silver State International Rodeo (SSIR) in Winnemucca.
Battle Mountain’s Desatoya Coombs won the junior high goat tying with a score of 340.75 and she took the pole bending title with a score of 315.
She also qualified for state in breakaway (312.75) with a second-place finish. Coombs qualified for the SSIR in barrel racing (fifth, 248.25), team roping (10th, 219.25) and ribbon roping (11th, 232).
Riata Goemmer from Battle Mountain was the high school barrel racing champion (356.50). In addition, she was second in cutting (346.50), and fourth in reined cow horse (265.25).
Goemmer also made the cut for the SSIR in pole bending (5th, 252) and goat tying (14th, 102.50).
Humboldt County’s Billy DeLong made his bids for junior high state in chute dogging (second, 338.75), saddle bronc steer riding (second, 305.38) and rifle shoot (third, 18).
He qualified for the SSIR in breakaway (11th, 111.50) and goat tying (11th, 132.50).
Cade Bell made it to the national finals in steer wrestling (second, 335.25), cutting (third, 334.25) and tie-down roping (314.00). He made it to the SSIR in team roping (10th, 231.25).
Lovelock’s only junior high participant was Kole Black, who made it to the national finals in pole bending (fourth, 249.50), and the SSIR in barrel racing (ninth, 163.25) and breakaway (13th, 80.75).
Leeann McNeff was the lone high school competitor for Lovelock, competing in barrel racing (22nd, 13), pole bending (22nd, 10.00) and goat tying.
The events that were held at the state finals included, breakaway, barrel racing, goat tying, team roping, pole bending, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc steer riding, cutting, reined cow horse, and a Queen contest.
Humboldt County had several other qualifiers for the national finals in the junior high division, including Cooper Hill in the rifle shoot (fourth, 15.75) and Emma Garijo in barrel racing (fourth, 268.00).
Garijo also made it to the SSIR in pole bending (sixth, 206.25) and breakaway (seventh, 198). Kayleigh Marshall made the SSIR in rifle shoot (15, 0).
The Humboldt County high school team saw Bailey Reynolds secure a spot in Wyoming in the rifle shoot (third, 18.) and she made the SSIR in breakaway roping (ninth, 133.25) and team roping (13th, 170.25).
Lexi Garijo qualified for the SSIR in barrel racing (11th, 107.75) and pole bending (13th, 96.25).
Allyssa Nimmick competed in pole bending, breakaway roping, barrel racing and team roping.
Frankie Baumeister competed in breakaway roping (19, 56.50) and team roping (27, 91.75).
Emma LeMaire of Battle Mountain made the cut for the national finals in pole bending (fourth, 286) and she will be going to the SSIR for her finishes in cutting (sixth, 268.25), barrel racing (10th, 139), and breakaway roping (15th, 77.75).
Gracie Lou Holman was the only other Battle Mountain high school competitor, going in pole bending (17th, 45), barrel racing (24th, 7), team roping (29th, 84.75) and breakaway roping (33rd, 11.50).
Battle Mountain’s Jolena Ayers made it to the SSIR in barrel racing (10th, 122.75) and goat tying (11th, 114.25).
Italy Jo Holman rounded out the Battle Mountain team, competing in pole bending (16th, 82), breakaway (18th, 26) and barrel racing (23rd, 17).
The National Junior High School Finals Rodeo will be held June 23-29 in Huron, South Dakota.
The National High School Finals Rodeo will be July 14-20 at Rock Springs, Wyo.
The Silver State International Rodeo will be in Winnemucca on July 1-6.
More information about High School and Jr. High Rodeo can be found at nevadastatehsra.net
