CHSRA To Hold 39th State Finals In Bishop, Calif.
By Tracey Scott • Special To Ropers Sports News
CHSRA is proud to return for our 7th year to the beautiful Eastern Sierra Tri County Fairgrounds for our 39th State Finals!
Bishop, Calif. will once again be the perfect venue for this State Competition, as well as a great place for lots of family fun and recreation. High school students compete from September until May in nine different districts from the Oregon border to the Mexican border. The top five in every event in each of these districts qualify for the esteemed State Finals.
High school rodeo competitors are given so many opportunities even aside from the foot race it takes to get to State Finals. CHSRA promotes students to grow as a leader, a person and achieve many goals. Tied together by the common love of rodeo and the western heritage many of these students also show livestock, work hard in academic fields and have some various backgrounds. Wherever they come from and wherever they are going, for this one week in Bishop, they come together for some unforgettable memories. Being a teenager has many twists and turns and having rodeo and horses to focus on provides a constant in their lives of chores, commitment and rewards. Many of these families and students make huge sacrifices to travel, pay entry fees and care for their equine partners throughout the year. When you see the senior class at state finals on Thursday night in the arena all lined up tipping their hats farewell to their peers, parents, grandparents and families, it is all worth it. Reading the list of colleges and academic institutions they are all going to in the Fall is also staggering.
High school rodeo sends kids to a brighter future and every dollar is worth the investment. A sense of pride is instilled in these students as they pass on this great American way of life and our western heritage. Bishop is also gearing up to host these athletes and make the week great and competitive. Anyone driving by on their way to the BFI and other destinations north, stop by June 14th to June 17th and enjoy an evening of America’s #1 sport.
We would like to thank our major California sponsors: Les Schwab Tires, Cargill, BFI and Ropers Sports News along with all our national sponsors and Bishop sponsors. The opportunity to thank all the parents and volunteers that keep CHSRA going all year and at state finals are not to be left out either, it takes a ton of manpower and dedication from these folks and we appreciate every minute!
For more information and a schedule of events, please go to www.chsra.com.
