The opening performance of the National High School Finals Rodeo will take place on Sunday evening. This year’s event will be the 75th and will take place in Gillette, WY with competition scheduled to run through Saturday, July 22nd. The KCNI/KBBN coverage area will be well represented on Team Nebraska this year.
Jason Ducker Kursave of Arcadia will represent Nebraska in the bull riding event. Kursave was the bull riding state champion and will make his opening appearance in the chutes during the opening performance of the National Finals Rodeo on Sunday evening.
Ella Switzer of Burwell will also be in the opening performance of the National Finals Sunday evening as she competes in pole bending. Switzer finished third in the Nebraska year end standings in pole bending to qualify.
Jace Hurlburt of Arcadia will appear in two events at the finals. Hurlburt will compete in the breakaway roping with her first run of the finals scheduled for the Tuesday morning performance. Hurlburt will team with Tate Talkington of Scottsbluff in the team roping. Hurlburt and Talkington are scheduled to make their first run during the Monday night performance.
Coy Johnston of Stapleton also qualified in two events. Johnston will team with Brent Charlton of North Platte in the team roping. The two will make their first run in the event during the Tuesday night performance. Johnston will also compete in the steer wrestling and is scheduled to start the competition during the rodeo’s second performance on Monday morning.
Anna Clark of Thedford qualified in the barrel racing where she was the state runner-up in the year end standings. Clark will make her first run at nationals during the Tuesday night performance.
Emma Pearson of Broken Bow will compete at nationals in the girls cutting. Pearson finished third in the state in the year end standings to qualify and will make her first appearance in the event in the Tuesday morning performance. Gracyn Hicks of Burwell also qualified in the girls cutting and will start the competition during Wednesday morning’s performance.
Kaleb Hurt of Callaway will compete in the saddle broncs competition. Hurt was state runner-up in the event this season and is scheduled to start his National Finals experience on Tuesday when he competes in the morning performance.
Sid Miller of Merna qualified for nationals in the tie down roping. Miller was the runner-up in the event in the state’s year end standings. Miller’s opening run of the first go round is scheduled to take place during the Monday night performance.
Listen to KCNI radio for updates on the NHSFR next week with reports airing during the noon and 5 p.m. sports reports.
