ROCK SPRINGS, Wyo. — Toston’s J.R. Harrell achieved the second-best bull ride of the week on Friday night, scoring an 82.5 in his second go-round to secure 10th place in the average at the National High School Finals Rodeo with his single ride at the Sweetwater Events Complex.
Harrell was unable to score in his first go-round ride. Browning’s Tahj Wells follows closely in 11th place with a single score of 82 points.
Harrell’s ride only falls short of an 86-point performance by Sutton Schrunk of Valentine, Nebraska.
As the NHSFR headed into its final day on Saturday, other Montanans in competition included:
Columbia Falls’ Azzy Lara maintained second place in the average with a score of 149, trailing Kash Loyd of Cleburne, Texas by 3.5 points and leading third-placed Quaide Skjonsberg of Bluffton, Alberta by four points. Wyatt Warneke of Great Falls sits in 22nd place in the average with a score of 121.
Miles City’s Caiden Gray was tied for third in saddle bronc with an average score of 144, matching Jett Williams of Clarinda, Iowa. Corvallis’ Cash Trexler improved his position to fourth in tie-down roping average with a time of 20.2 seconds, clocking 9.96 seconds in the evening session on Friday, the second best time of the night.
In pole bending, Townsend’s Ella Begger ranked 11th in the average with a combined time of 41.029 seconds. Martinsdale’s Walker Story placed 13th in reined cow horse with a score of 283.5 on Friday night.
Elle Werner of Clancy had a strong finish in pole bending on Friday night, clocking a time of 20.171, the third best of the evening. Werner did not record a time in her first go-round.
The second go-round was set to conclude at 9 a.m. on Saturday before the finals in the evening.
