Numerous area qualifiers will make their appearance in the South Dakota Junior High Rodeo Finals in June
Jun. 13—MITCHELL — Highmore's Talon Ping qualified for the National Junior High Rodeo Finals on June 19-25 in Perry Georgia, in the bull riding, bareback riding and tie-down roping.
Ping finished second all-around in boys scoring (203) as placed first in the bull riding, first in bareback riding and third in the tie-down roping. As a result of finishing in the top-four of each event in the South Dakota Junior High Rodeo State Finals on May 20-22, he will compete in each event again at the NJHRF in Georgia.
Colome's Seth Heath placed second in the ribbon roping, as well as the tie-down roping, to advance to nationals. He also finished third in all-around boys scoring at 190.50.
Pierre's Walker West qualified for nationals in the saddle bronc riding with a first-place finish at state. West also will compete in the boys goat tying, after a second-place finish at state. Spearfish's Tiersyn Grubb secured a spot in the girls goat tying with a first-place finish.
Parkston's Morgan Maxwell placed third in the girls goat tying to advance to nationals and was just outside of the top-four in pole bending, as she recorded a score of 31 to place fifth. Huron's Brady Meyer placed second in the bull riding and also had a finish just outside the top-four in bareback riding, recording a score of 41 points at state to place fifth. Letcher's Aubrey Moody placed fourth in the barrel racing to secure a national spot.
Arina Haugen from Sturgis captured all-around cowgirl honors at the South Dakota Junior High Rodeo, after placing first in the girls breakaway and second in the girls goat tying. Haugen also finished seventh in team roping and seventh in barrel racing.
Sern Weishaar of Belle Fourche captured all-around cowboy honors at the South Dakota Junior High Rodeo, after placing first in the boys goat tying and fourth in tie-down roping. Weishaar finished outside the top-four in two other events as he placed fifth in team roping and sixth in ribbon roping.
The complete list of national qualifiers in each event includes: bareback riding: Talon Ping (Highmore), Talon Krolikowski (Martin), Taos Weborg (St. Charles), Fletcher Birkeland (Dupree); barrel racing: Macey Wendt (Newell), Charleigh Brewer (Wessington), Tiersyn Grubb (Spearfish), Aubrey Moody (Kropp) (Letcher); breakaway roping: Slone Weishaar (Belle Fourche), Koby Bowden (Belle Fourche), Kanton Hunt (Ridgeview), Jory Olson (Belle Fourche); Bull riding: Talon Ping (Highmore), Brady Meyer (Huron), Taos Weborg (St. Charles), Tyrel Koan (Buffalo); chute dogging: Talon Krolikowski (Martin), Jayder Schonebaum (Herrick), Abe Kaiser (Millboro), Cooper Faehnrich (Clear Lake); girls goat tying: Tiersyn Grubb (Spearfish), Arina Haugen (Sturgis), Morgan Maxwell (Parkston), Lukayzee Brink (Newell); girls breakaway: Arina Haugen (Sturgis), Minda Woodward (Dupree), Taylor Hoxeng (Volin), Brooke Diedrichs (Wall), Payton Routier (Buffalo); pole bending: Livya Braskamp (Wentworth), Annika Haugen (Sundance, Wy), Taylor Hoxeng (Volin), Brynlie Price (Red Owl); ribbon roping: Adessa Haugen (Reliance), Seth Heath (Colome), Brand Hilgenkamp (Wall), Peyton Porch (Kadoka); saddle bronc: Walker West (Pierre), Trigg Olson (Belle Fourche), Talon Krolikowski (Martin), Tucker Hughes (Belle Fourche); team roping: Casper Hammerstrom (New Underwood), Brand Hilgenkamp (Wall), Hayes Burress (Isabel), Tanner Thorstenson (Lantry); tie-down roping: Hayes Burress (Isabel), Seth Heath (Colome), Talon Ping (Highmore), Sern Weishaar (Belle Fourche); girls all-around scoring: Arina Haugen (Sturgis), Tiersyn Grubb (Spearfish), Macey Wendt (Newell), Payton Routier (Buffalo); boys all-around scoring: Sern Weishaar (Belle Fourche), Talon Ping (Highmore), Seth Heath (Colome), Walker West, (Pierre).
