Top high school competitors return from National Finals rodeo
Hey savvy news reader! Thanks for choosing local.
You are now reading
1 of 3 free articles.
Abby Knight, Wyatt Lytton and Will Powell spend just about every weekend competing in rodeos. They stopped at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo. recently.
Knight, from Charlo, scored ninth in pole bending.
“I won a belt buckle that says National Finals Top Ten. It was tough competition. You never know what to expect. But my horse ran great. I’m very happy. To place in the top ten, it’s great,” she said.
Lytton, Polson, competed in tie down roping.
“I was 16th after the first round and ended up 23rd overall. My first run went the best. It was a good smooth run with no mistakes.”
Powell, St. Ignatius, took 35th in steer wrestling.
“I drew the biggest steer they had there. He ran off in front of me. It took me too long to ride around him. The animals have a mind of their own so you never know.
“I did get to see a lot of different culture. People were there from Canada, Australia and Hawaii.”
Lytton focused on his event and not the crowd.
“There were several thousand people there and about 1,500 contestants. It wasn’t about nerves. I just let everything go and focused on what I had to do. I let reaction take over.”
It takes a lot of work to even qualify for nationals.
“We are always at a rodeo,” Knight said. “The rodeo season never ends from summer to winter. It’s always going. But I love it.”
“The problem isn’t that there is always a rodeo,” Powell said. “The problem is what to do when there isn’t a rodeo.”
