Local rodeo riders compete in Vegas

Over 800 kids from all over the world come to Las Vegas to compete in the Junior World Finals rodeo for 10 days each December. For the last four years, the event has run concurrently with the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. 

Contestants compete in qualifiers and finals in eight events, each divided into various age groups. The events are bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, girls and boys breakaway, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing.

The young riders and ropers vie for cash and prizes totaling over $1 million.

Three members of the Northwest Montana Rodeo Team qualified for the Junior World Finals and competed admirably this month.

Columbia Falls High School sophomore, Azreal Lara, won the senior bareback division and won two of three rounds on his way to the championship title.

Flathead High School freshman, Wylee Berglund, comes from a long line of rodeo competitors. He had been steer riding for two years and recently graduated to bull riding. Although he’s relatively new to bareback riding, he qualified for the Worlds in the senior bareback division.

“I am very proud of Wylee,” said his mother, Becky Berglund. “For him to have made it to Junior World Finals in riding bareback in just over a year is a big accomplishment for him.”

Unfortunately, Wylee came off his horse just before the whistle and sprained his ankle in the first round. He covered his second round but didn’t get a score, so he missed the short round.

“It was pretty awesome to have a bunch of kids from the Flathead representing different schools,” Becky added.

Twelve-year-old Brander Christianson qualified for the finals for the second year in a row. The seventh grader from Columbia Falls Junior High School competed in the junior bull riding division and made it to the short round. He ended up in fifth place in the world standings for the Junior Championship Bull Riding.

Brander's father Eric Christianson is a former bull rider and current rodeo judge. He said his younger son is following in the footsteps of his older brother Octavius, who also rides bulls. 

“My kids have been rodeoing since the day they were born. I’m super proud,” said Eric. “These kids have the opportunity to compete for world titles. It's pretty amazing.”

After a long road trip back home from Vegas, all three of the world-class rodeo kids competed at the Majestic Valley Arena rodeo within a couple days and their families are already looking at qualifying rodeos for next year’s Junior World Finals.

    Wylee Berglund
  

    Azreal Lara