By Tracey Scott
Special To Ropers Sports News

     PLYMOUTH, CA – It’s been 22 years since the Jr. Grand National was moved to the fall and the invitational rodeo held by Cotton Rosser for CHSRA ended. That was a moment Craig Williams saw an opportunity and created the Challenge of Champions Rodeo. An invitational rodeo for the top 3 in each District of CHSRA to compete as a pre-curser to the State Finals in March.
Craig immediately went to the neighborhood he lives in and created a great partnership with the Jackson Rancheria and the Amador County Fairgrounds. The support of the City of Plymouth has also grown over the years and the Challenge of Champions is now an all-time favorite to many families in High School Rodeo.
     This year was unique in the fact that it did not rain. Traditionally, every year has some amount of rainfall and the memories that many remember most are muddy runs and spectacular photos. It seemed as though there was a sudden pause in the ‘atmospheric river’ phenomenon all of California has experienced this year.
     The competition is always a crowd pleaser and this year was the second year Reined Cow Horse was part of the line-up. With over 190 contestants and 240 horses, students from all over the state came to get a taste of the future that will be State Finals in Bishop, Calif. Rising to the top for the All Around Championships were District 7 members Sammie Massey and Chance Leatherman. The other event Champions include Lilla Bell D4, Polebending; Bailey Small D1, Tie Down; Chance Leatherman D7, Reined Cow Horse; Brady Roenspie D3, Steer Wrestling; Justin Schuette D3, Boys Cutting; Joey Blackmore D8, Bull Riding; Chase Schrode D7, Bareback Riding; Maddie Biglow D3, Girls Cutting; Bryor Minton and Clayton Moore D1, Team Roping; Payton Scalzo D8, Goat Tying; Kylie Askew D4, Girls Breakaway; Kassi McClure D4, Barrel Racing.
     The sponsors of this event cannot be left out of this story, they have been instrumental in Craig’s success all these years. American Legion Ambulance donates their services, Jackson Rancheria is the headline sponsor, the City of Plymouth and others are part of the production to make this all happen at the Amador County Fairgrounds. This year Lassen Community College awarded scholarship certificates to the All Around Champions and event winners. 321 Action Video was on hand again for livestreaming and the short round should be posted soon on the CHSRA website, chsra.com.
     Looking forward, CJHRD Finals are May 16-18 in Red Bluff, Calif., and High School will have its Finals June 11-15 in Bishop. We are very thankful for all our California sponsors, Ropers Sports News, Les Schwab, Cactus Saddlery, Cactus Gear, Cactus Ropes, Heel-O-Matic, Resistol Hats, and Platinum Performance. Go to our Facebook for updates and results, California High School Rodeo. See you at the Rodeo!
     Results follow with placing, competitor and average score.
BAREBACK RIDING
1. Chase Shrode    122
2. Jacek Frost    79
3. Brent Applegarth    75
4. Erik Bettencourt    67

Barrel Racing
1. Kassi McClure    31.940
2. Masey Minton    32.010
3. Alexandra Puga    32.080
4. Samantha Massey    32.190
5. Heaven Perez    32.320
6. Kennedy Bruce    32.330
7. Pfeiffer Alves    32.480
8. Kaiden Ayres    32.910
9. Lindsay Riedel    33.070
10. Erin Atkinson,    36.750

Girls Breakaway
1. Kylie Askew    5.420
2. Margaret Usher    5.870
3. Josephine Pereira    6.740
4. Lacey Geiger    7.060
5. Mckenna Wood    7.910
6. Mackenzie Parker    8.760
7. Sutton Mang    9.400
8. Makenna Batchelder    10.110
9. Taylor Griffin    19.370

Bull Riding
1. Dwight Joey Blackmore    151
2. David Albee    75
3. Jeffrey Fisher    61

Boys Cutting
1. Justin Schuette    293
2. Hayden Taylor    288
3. Tanner Pachie    286
4. Chance Leatherman    283
5. Tristan Schmidt    280
6. Jesse Dancer    275
7. Dean Sherbo    274
8. Kerry Duvall    267
9. Tucker Bourdet    264
10. Caden Grisedale    206

Girls Cutting
1/2. Maddie Biglow    287.5
1/2. Masey Minton    287.5
3. Briley Dahlem    285
4. Francesca Carlin    284.5
5. Gracie Lopez    284
6. Samantha Massey    281
7. Payton Lopez    280.5
8. Madisen Eads    278
9. Mckenna Wood    277.5
10/11. Kate Grimsman    272
10/11. Payton Scalzo    272

Girls Goat Tying
1. Payton Scalzo    14.530
2. Payton Lopez    14.760
3. Kaiden Ayres    15.570
4. Sierra Stelling    15.690
5. Lacey Geiger    15.730
6. Josephine Pereira    16.580
7. Margaret Usher    17.740
8. Trista Reid    19.570

Girls Pole Bending
1. Lilla Bell    41.510
2. Aubrey Luis    41.870
3. Payton Schoeppach    42.100
4. Samantha Massey    42.760
5. Macie Kulikov    43.440
6. Rian Rusinek    43.510
7. Whitlee Burgess    43.560
8. Ellie Bonilla    48.330
9. Madison Camozzi    48.340
10. Heaven Perez    48.450

Saddle Bronc
1. Caden Grisedale    75.00
2. Davis Mardesich    62.00
3. Payson Holman    60.00
4. Tucker Bourdet    58.00
Steer Wrestling
1. Brady Roenspie    18.450
2. Garrett Shell    22.250

Team Roping
1. Bryor Minton and Clayton Moore, 16.270. 2. Lilla Bell and Jake Bourdet, 19.360. 3. Antonio Silva and Blayne Twisselman, 21.930. 4. Brock Grashuis and Logan Anseth, 23.150. 5. Rylee George and Colby George, 27.340. 6. Mackenzie Parker and Gavin Lopez, 29.920. 7. Heaven Perez and Zane Pratt, 32.250. 8. Payton Lopez and Jace Helton, 34.320. 9. Stoney Boy Joseph and Kyle Mahon, 38.520.

TIE DOWN ROPING
1. Bailey Small    25.560
2. Stoney Boy Joseph    29.410
3. Gavin Lopez    34.050
4. Caden Grisedale    34.680
5. Joey Rawls    38.760

Reined CowHorse
1. Lauren Hopkins    143
2/3. Pierce Wold    141
2/3. Chance Leatherman    141
4. Kate Grimsman    140
5. Blake Beck    138
6. Samantha Massey    137
7. Sophia Patino    136.5
8. Gwen Johnson    134
9/10. Rachel Wilson    133.5
9/10. Emily Mayo    133.5