Reputedly ready to ride and rope at the next level for Lamar Community College, Ignacio’s Bodie Hine will be taking the scenic route out to campus in Prowers County later this summer, needing to first make a stop in Gillette, Wyoming.
Yearnin’ to be returnin’ to the National High School Finals Rodeo, Hine and partner Brayden Fillmore of Penrose will be in the team roping mix at the 2021-22 season’s supreme spectacle, scheduled to run July 17-23 at the CAM-PLEX Event Center.
Succeeding on two of three attempts at the recent Colorado State High School Rodeo Association Finals (May 26-30 in Craig) and placing third, the duo upped their season points total to a second-place 101, just ahead of Kersey-based, state-winning twin brothers Rowdy and Roan Weil, who racked up 99.5.
Also requalifying for the NHSFR was breakaway roper Teryn McWhirter of Ignacio. Her third-place time of 28.750 seconds on three head at the Moffat County Fairgrounds upped her year-end points to a State-best 85, seven more than Yuma-reared Cassidy Evans – whose 12.400/3 figures in Craig won the average (posting 22.570/3, Cassidy Shea of Olathe came in second) – of Fort Supply, Oklahoma.
A non-qualifying sixth place in breakaway (60 points), Hesperus’ Rhiley Morgan-Montoya more than punched her ticket in goat tying by winning both the average (24.210/3) at state as well as the points title. And as destiny – or humor – would have it, her total of 132 was pursued closest by nationals-bound sister Quincy, who totaled 119 after finishing fifth in the average (27.630/3) in Craig.
Steer wrestler Caleb Lake of Bayfield earned his trip to Gillette by finishing second in points. He placed third (44.080/3) at the MCFG and ended up with 113 points in 2021-22 and trailed only state runner-up Sam Gallagher (129) of Brighton.
Four Corners-region competitor Mitchell Story of Aztec won the CSHSRA finals saddle-bronc average with 148 points (73-75-0) on two head and paced the final points standings with 128 in clinching a Nationals reberth. Able to cover one horse in Craig for a 53-point ride, Wyatt Bartel of Ignacio ranked a qualifying fourth in year-end points with 29.5.
Barrel racer Hannah Belvin of Durango came up short of a nationals return. Placing 10th in the event average (57.926/3) at state, she ended up tallying 55 points and tying Grand Junction’s Adalie Hansen for 11th in the year-end standings, while Evans held off Colorado Springs’ Savannah Roberts, 112 to 110, in the race for first.
Belvin also ended up tying for 17th in pole bending, totaling 18 points for the season.
Carson Miller of Kirtland, New Mexico, finished fifth in CSHSRA points (29) for bull riding, with Ignacio’s Luke Mackey (28) sixth. Ignacio’s Kyle Rima finished sixth in rifle shooting, totaling 82.5 points, and ninth (9 points) in trap shooting. Pleasant View’s Cy Lanier ended up seventh in reined cow horse points with 58.
Jori Polich, Cortez (11th, breakaway, 51 points); Luke Mackey, Ignacio (12th, reined cow horse, 27, and T-26th, team roping, 30); Kourtney Schurman, Ignacio (13th, breakaway, 46, and 15th, goat tying, 19); Quincy Morgan-Montoya, Hesperus (14th, breakaway, 42); Liesl Chenowith, Bayfield (15th, barrel racing, 37); Springsky Chee, Cortez (15th, pole bending, 23); Cy Lanier, Pleasant View (17th, rifle shooting, 6); Ashley Anstead, Ignacio (22nd barrel racing, 10.5); Teagan Taylor, Bayfield (25th, team roping, 33).
