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University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture - Curtis

NCTA to Host Jr. High Rodeo State Finals

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Curtis, NE, May 18, 2007: - Rodeo skills aren't learned overnight; they are honed at an early age. Spectators will be able to watch Nebraska's future rodeo talent by attending the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association (NJHSRA) Wrangler Division State Finals on June 1-2, 2007, at NCTA in Curtis.

The rodeo will begin at 4:00 p.m. on June 1, 2007, and will pick up again at 8:00 a.m. on June 2, 2007. All events will take place in the NCTA Indoor Arena.

According to Julie Clark, spokesperson for the NJHSRA, there is a single goal on the mind of all the competitors. "The National Finals in Gallup, New Mexico, is the aim of all of our athletes," she states. "For many of our competitors, their performances at the State Finals will be the one thing to push them over the top to qualify."

Rodeo athletes in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades have participated in four rodeos this year, traveling to Wahoo, Valentine, Thedford, and Alliance. In order to join the NJHSRA, athletes must adhere to the same academic requirements as those competing at the high school level. Events are also geared towards the junior high competitor, with the top spots up for grabs in the following:

  • Boys Breakaway
  • Girls Breakaway
  • Boys Goats
  • Girls Goats
  • Barrels
  • Bull Riding
  • Tie Down
  • Pole Bending
  • Chute Dogging
  • Team Roping
  • Ribbon Roping

Clark shares that the Nebraska program is just one of many Junior High Rodeo Associations in the nation. "Currently, there are 37 state associations and 4 Canadian provinces involved in junior high rodeo," she comments. "The junior high associations are great stepping stones into High School rodeo, and the events they compete in help prepare these athletes for the next level of competition. Wrangler may have helped start the junior high associations, but it is the athletes' love of rodeo that is the cause of its tremendous growth."

For more information about the NJHSRA State Finals, please contact Larry Cooper, NCTA Admissions Coordinator, at 1-800-3CURTIS, or Julie Clark, NJHSRA Spokesperson, at 308-963-4476.