High School Rodeo Finals heat up the arena

The Montana High School Rodeo Association State Finals were held at the Majestic Valley Arena in Kalispell last week. 

Local cowgirl, Ruby Ray placed fifth in the championship round of barrel racing with a time of 16:04. In the pole bending competition, Ray, a national qualifier in the event, finished in second place by less than half a second with a time of 20.57.  

Isabella Moran of Kalispell also qualified for nationals in barrel racing and fellow Kalispell competitor Zoey Bruyer earned third place in the breakaway event with a time of 3.23. 

Columbia Falls cowboy Octavius Christianson qualified for nationals in bull riding.

Results for local competitors: 

Saddle bronc 

Championship round: 1. Randon Boyce, Browning, 74.5; 2. Colton Haase, East Helena, 73; 3. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 64.5; 4. Kash Bouma, Fairfield, 51. 

National qualifiers: 1. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 225; 2. Randon Boyce, Browning, 200; 3. Colton Haase, East Helena, 167; 4. Tahj Wells, Browning, 140.5. 

Breakaway 

Championship round: 1. Josie Robb, Bozeman, 2.99; 2. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 3.07; 3. Zoey Bruyer, Kalispell, 3.23 

Bull riding 

National qualifiers: 1. Tahj Wells, Browning, 107.5; 2. Octavius Christianson, Columbia Falls, 104; 3. Andy Wagner, Billings, 72; 3. Colt Holdbrook, Roberts, 68. 

Barrel racing 

Championship round: 1. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 15.65; 2. Jocie Rowen, Musselshell, 15.96; 3. Landry Larson, Sidney, 15.99; 4. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 16.02; 5. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 16.04; 6. Allie Huskey, Shepherd 16.06. 

National qualifiers: 1. Jocie Roen, Musselshell, 212.5; 2. Landry Larson, Sidney, 195; 3. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 184; 4. Isabella Moran, Kalispell, 169.50. 

Pole bending 

Championship round: 1. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 20.14; 2. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 20.57; 3. Laney Rose Cote, Eureka, 20.9; 4. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 20.94; 5. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 21.10; 6. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 21.13. 

National qualifiers: 1. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 208; 2. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 186; 3. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 185; 4. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 168.  

Bareback 

Championship round: 1. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls, 74.5; 2. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 66.5; 3. Wace Williams, Browning, 47. 

National qualifiers: 1. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 228; 2. William Barnett, Absarokee, 174.5; 3. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls,152; 4. Wace Williams, Browning, 77. 

For a full list of results visit www.406mtsports.com. 

    Octavius Christianson, from Columbia Falls, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Tahj Wells, from Browning, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider