Southern Nevada students compete at national rodeo

While Northern Nevada traditionally dominates high school rodeo, Southern Nevada also has plenty to be proud of.

Six athletes from Southern Nevada, including four freshmen, recently competed at the National High School Finals Rodeo, the largest rodeo in the world, in Farmington, N.M.

The top four finishers in the state, in each event, qualify for the national finals, which feature close to 1,500 competitors from across the country, and Australia and Canada as well.

Kaylin Leas, a sophomore-to-be at Centennial, won the state title in barrel racing and took second in pole bending to qualify for nationals.

Haylee Turley, also an incoming sophomore at Centennial, captured state rookie of the year honors, for earning the most points of any freshman, and qualified for nationals in goat tying and barrel racing.

Amanda Suits, a sophomore-to-be at Silverado, competed in pole bending at nationals, and Sterling Ward, a sophomore-to-be at Cheyenne, was the fourth freshman to qualify for nationals from Southern Nevada, in bareback bronc riding.

"The top four freshmen in the state are all from Las Vegas and they all qualified for nationals, which is really hard for freshmen to do," said Lori Leas, one of the directors of the Las Vegas (area) High School Rodeo Club, along with R. Clay Hendrix. "They compete against seniors, juniors and sophomores, there's no junior varsity.

"Not many (Southern Nevada kids) do this religiously. Most of the kids (who go to nationals) come from the northern part of the state, but the kids that do go from here are good."

Kristen Brown, who graduated from Centennial this year, also qualified for nationals, along with area cowboy Kamron Kennedy, who competed in bareback bronc riding.

Brown won a state title in goat tying and also competed in calf roping and pole bending. Brown won a state title in each of her four years in high school, winning in barrel racing as a freshman, in pole bending as a sophomore and in breakaway (calf) roping as a junior.

Brown, who was born and raised in Las Vegas and has been riding horses since she was 4, recently earned a rodeo scholarship to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which has produced the intercollegiate all-around champion woman the last three years. She hopes to continue the winning tradition.

"I know I want to go for it. I'm pretty confident, if I just keep practicing," Brown said.

Leas is also confident in Brown's ability.

"She had to be pretty good for them to take her. She does all the events pretty good," Leas said. "It's from lots of practice and lots of dedication. She's a really good roper and that takes some athletic ability, timing and balance."

While none of the athletes from Southern Nevada placed high at nationals, most of them finished in the top 50 in their respective events, which featured close to 200 competitors in each of them.

"Just to make it to nationals is a pretty big deal. We didn't have any place high, unfortunately, but they did pretty respectable against the best of the best," Leas said. "For the freshmen, it kind of opened their eyes. They went from having 150 kids at a rodeo, to one that had over 1,500, and they got to ride in front of a packed house every night. We came, we saw, and next year, they'll conquer."

Other athletes on the LVHS Rodeo Club who qualified for nationals were Jason Mansor of Moapa Valley High School and Kyle Boucher of Pahrump Valley.

Several other locals qualified for the Silver State Invitational High School Rodeo, by virtue of placing fifth through 10th place in the state. Kayla Smith, Michael Davis, Chad Hoff and Chelseas Hoff all advanced.

The LVHS Rodeo Club is trying to raise funds for its Nov. 15-16 rodeo, tentatively scheduled for Horseman's Park. Those interested in competing for or helping the club can call Leas at 658-9901.


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