The Texas Junior High and High School Region IV finals will be held in Athens at the Henderson County Fairpark Coliseum starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 28. Saturday’s action will begin with the cutting competition at 9 a.m., followed by the rodeo at 10:30 a.m. Sunday starting at 9 a.m. is church service and awards.
Rodeo events include: bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, Jr. bull riding, pole bending, goat tying, barrel racing, chute dogging, tiedown calf roping, breakaway roping, ribbon roping and team roping.
The Top 10 contestants at the end of the weekend will advance to the Texas Junior High School State Finals Rodeo in Gonzales in May and the Texas High School State Finals Rodeo in Abilene in June. It is here, at the largest rodeos in the state of Texas, where the elite compete featuring the top cowboys and cowgirls from each Region. They compete for numerous awards and scholarships, as well as the honor of representing the State of Texas at the National High School Finals Rodeo held each July.
Contestants for this weekend’s rodeo will be coming from all over Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Representing Athens in the Junior High Division are: Cutter Carpenter, the 2013 Texas Junior High Rodeo State Reserve Champion Goat Tyer and National Qualifier, currently ranked No. 1 in the region in Boys Goat Tying, Ribbon Roping and All-Around, No. 2 in the region in Breakaway Roping and No. 4 in Team Roping.
Local competitors in the High School Division include: Justice Cathey and Cole Surls, currently ranked No. 6 in the region in Team Roping; Kolton Dowell and Cooper Bane (2013 Texas High School Rodeo State Champion Team Roper and National Qualifier), currently ranked No. 11 in the region in Team Roping; and Hunter Wilcox and McKenzie Ray of Mabank, currently ranked No. 14 in the region in Team Roping.