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
