Leon Co. high schoolers shine at Rodeo #6

Austin 'n Austin (Courmier and Rayborn) turned in their season-best catch -- 8.640 seconds -- at THSRA Rodeo #6. Van'Go'photo Area THSRA rodeo athletes were very successful at Region IX's Rodeo #6 on January 4 in Crockett. Personal records were falling in almost every event.

Leon County cowboys ran away with the CALF ROPING event. Buffalo's Chip Brandes was the top finisher, throwing his hands up in 10.730. BHS freshman Austin Courmier took second with a 12.080. Centerville's Colten Sullivan finished 7th with a 25.250. Brandes leads the region in this event at the midway point.

Courmier also took second in STEER WRESTLING with a 5.630. The consistent young cowboy holds a solid lead in this event.

In TEAM ROPING, Courmier wrapped up a great rodeo with another secondplace finish when he and BHS classmate Austin Rayborn turned in their season-best time of 8.640. Another Buffalo cowboy, Jonathan Hollister and his partner Jeff Fryer of Fairfield, also turned in a season-best time of 21.650, good for 10th place.

There were 52 contestants in BARREL RACING, and two Oakwood girls finished in the Top Ten. OHS senior Kendel Robinson's 16.039 run was good for third place -- her top finish of the season. OHS's Cydney Kessler also turned in her best run of the season, 16.401, to break into the Top Ten with a ninth place finish. Normangee's Reagan Robertson was close on their heels with a season-best 16.661.

Kessler's luck carried over into POLE BENDING. She earned All Around points with a 21.668-second run, her best of the season, which was good for 13th place.

CHS freshman Callie Padgett took 4th in GOAT TYING at Rodeo #6 with a 9.290 run, and she is currently in second place in the event.

Padgett is sitting in second place in the race for All Around Cowgirl, and Courmier is in third in the All Around Cowboy competition.

UP NEXT: Watch for results of Rodeo #7, held January 18. Rodeo #8 will be in Crockett's Porth Arena on February 1.