Sarah Judd
Wylee Mitchell of Pioche competes in barrel racing at the Alamo High School Rodeo event held Nov. 2-4.
The Alamo High School Rodeo Team hosted this a rodeo Nov. 2-4 at the Alamo Rodeo Grounds.
One hundred and seven participants arrived to compete in events such as goats, chute dogging, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway, tie-down roping, poles, bulls, bareback, saddle bronc, barrels and ribbon roping. The trap shoot and rifle shoot were held at the Meldrums. Cutting up was held at the Whipple Ranch.
The Alamo High School rodeo team consists of Tyler Bundy, Macady Bundy and Troy Bundy.
The Alamo Junior High rodeo team consists of Morgan Carter, CJ Christian, Dakota Ewing, Skyla Johnson, Zoey Perkins, Sydnee Spencer, Myla Walch and Dylan Williams.
Prizes for the winners included weighted pads, made by Broken W Cowboy Gear, to the all-around cowboy and cowgirl winners of the weekend. Broken W donated half the price and the club paid the other half. The average winners of each event received $100 for first, $75 for second, $50 for third place and $25 for fourth place.
Tyler Bundy, 18, of Alamo, has been participating in rodeos his whole life. As a senior, this was his last high school rodeo in Alamo. During the grand entrance, Bundy thanked his parents for taking a boy and making him a man. He also thanked his mom for holding him up when he didn’t deserve it and his dad for the calluses on his hands, the sweat on his brow, and the dirt in his nails.
His parents, along with the club members, put together a send-off package for college which he carried with him during his final lap of the arena on his horse. Bundy’s favorite event is steer wrestling. His horses’ names are Streak, Dusty and Big Enough. His favorite place to rodeo is Nationals in Wyoming.
He explained, “I love that in rodeo, you do things by yourself. There is no one else but you. My family and grandpa have all done rodeo, and the thing I will miss after my senior year are all of my friends.”
Wylee Mitchell, 14, of Pioche, has been participating in rodeos for as long as she can remember. Her horses’ names are Jack (her main man), Peanut, Cody and Rudy. Mitchell’s favorite place to rodeo, so far, has been at Nationals in South Dakota, but she also definitely enjoyed running barrels in Texas.
Mitchell placed third with Jayce Blake in team roping. She expressed, “I love the adrenaline rush you get when being in a rodeo. It’s really cool. We’re one rodeo family and I love having all my friends here.”
Macady Bundy, 15, of Alamo, has been participating in rodeos her whole life. Her favorite event is breakaway, and she competed in both breakaway and team roping. Her horses are named Frosty and Tequila. Her favorite place she has been for rodeo were the Junior Nationals in Lebanon, Tennessee. She related, “I love the people that are here. We’re just one big family. Everybody knows everybody.”
CJ Christian, 11, of Hiko, has been participating in rodeos his whole life. His favorite event is bareback. His horses’ names are Gray, Kate and Alvin. Christian’s favorite place he’s been is Alamo. He said, “My favorite thing about rodeos are all of my friends there. I like watching everyone and talking to all of my friends.”
Sarah Judd
Skyla Johnson of Alamo competes in pole bending at the Alamo High School Rodeo event held Nov. 2-4.
Skyla Johnson, 11, of Alamo, debuted in her first junior high rodeo. Previously, Johnson has gone to a couple of Gymkanas. Her favorite event is the poles. Johnson’s horse’s name is Trixy. She has only completed in Alamo and Panaca, but Alamo is her favorite place she has been.
Johnson emphasized, “I just love to ride horses, and doing the events is fun. My mom and all of her family competed in rodeo and that is what got me interested.”
High School Awards
All-around cowgirl – Jayce Blake
All-around cowboy – Tyler Bundy
Rookie all-around cowgirl – Taylor Felton.
Rookie all-around cowboy – Riley Roderick
Junior High Awards
All-around cowgirl – Arlee Morrison
All-around cowboy – Austin Frehner
Rookie all-around cowgirl – Joseyray Funk
Rookie all-around cowboy – Garret Jepson
High School Average Winners
Girls cutting – Ali Norcutt
Boys cutting – Daunte Ceresola
Tie-down roping – Daunte Ceresola
Breakaway roping – Caitlin Lucchesi
Steer wrestling – Tyler Bundy
Team roping – Benton Price and Whitney Slack
Goat tying – Chloe Lambert
Barrel racing – Jayce Blake
Pole bending – Emma Lemaire
Rifle shoot – Joy Hatch
There were no qualified rides for bull riding or saddle bronc.
Junior High Average Winners
Boys breakaway – Kaden Florez
Ribbon roping –Madison Solis and Chad Reber
Team roping – Tylie Norcutt and Noah Williams
Barrel racing – Lyndee Moser
Girls breakaway – Rilee Christensen
Pole bending – Syerra Silva
Bareback – CJ Christian
Bull riding – Eyer Morrison
Tie-down roping – Austin Frehner
Chute dogging – Ethan Rockwell
Girls goat tying – Tylie Norcutt
Boys goat tying – Garrett Jepson
Trap shoot – Devin Dixon
Rifle shoot – CJ Christian
There were no qualified rides for saddle bronc steer riding.
For the Alamo High School rodeo club, Tyler Bundy won first in bareback and steer wrestling and second in team roping with Bailey Reynolds.
Troy Bundy won second in rifle shoot.
CJ Christian and Matt Higbee Jr. won first and second place, respectively, in the .22 rifle shoot. Christian also won first place in bareback and third place in chute dogging.
The Alamo High School Rodeo Committee would like to thank all of the sponsors, volunteers and parents who stepped in to help wherever needed. They could not do it without you. They would also like to give a special thanks to the Pahranagat Valley ambulance crews who gave their time, standing by in case of injury. This event wouldn’t be possible without them.
They would like to thank the Whipples, who donated the cattle and facilities to make cutting for the cowgirls and cowboys possible. They would also like to thank Cindy Higbee from 4-H for her time and efforts as range master, and both her and her husband Matt for donating and helping with concessions.
They would also like to thank the club members.
The rodeo was a success and the kids are looking forward to the rest of the year as they work towards state finals and qualifying for the national finals in Wyoming, for high school, and South Dakota, for junior high.
