After a grueling 40 days of competition, beginning with the opening rodeo of the 2022-23 season in Cheyenne on August 13th, the state finals have arrived with opening events in Rock Springs today.
With just a two-month break in the heart of winter from mid-February to early April, cowboys and cowgirls have traversed the Cowboy State with events in Riverton, Wheatland, Thermopolis, Buffalo, Big Piney, Laramie, Casper, Newcastle, Gillette, Jackson and regular season rodeos at the final’s location in Rock Springs.
Fremont County is well represented with contestants from Shoshoni, Pavillion, Riverton, Kinnear, and Lander.
State competition includes 15 events, 13 in rodeo and light rifle and trap shooting in firearms competition.
Entering the state finals Pavillion’s Melanie Vigoren is one point out of first place in light rifle with 49 points.
Shoshoni’s Cannon Campbell is seeded fourth in steer wrestling with 102 points, just 14 behind first-place seed Jace Mayfield of Midwest who has 116 points.
Aidan Ruby is fourth entering the state finals in bull riding with 54 points, while Shoshoni’s Stetson St. Clair and Levi Vold are also in the top 10 in the event.
In the junior high division, Lily Vigoren of Pavillion is in first place with 95 points in light rifle. Eion Murray of Riverton is second in bull riding.
In the all-around high school competition, it’s a runaway on the girls’ side for Hadley Thompson of Yoder. Thompson enters the finals with 422 points, far outdistancing second-place Caitlin Moore of Wright who has 294.5.
On the boys’ race for the all-around title, Hayden Keyton of Gillette leads with 301 points. Shoshoni’s Cannon Campbell sits in sixth place with 188.
The top four places in each event this weekend in Rock Springs will qualify for the National Finals beginning June 18, in Perry, Georgia.
Wyoming High School Rodeo Standings:
Bareback Riding: 1. Tucker Carricato, SAR, 129, 8. KC Gibson, Pavillion 15
Barrel Racing: 1. Jordan Morman, GIL 117, 9. Faye Hellyer, KIN 49, 15. Irelynn Campbell, SHO 26, 21. Aislynn Vroman, RIV 14, 22. Melanie Vigoren, PAV 13.5
Boys Cutting: 1. Keyton Hayden, GIL 247
Breakaway Roping: 1. Hadley Thompson, YOD 100, 28. Grace Neubauer, RIV 9, 38. Irelynn Campbell, SHO 2
Bull Riding: 1. Brenson Bartlett, CHE 82.5, 4. Aidan Ruby, RIV 54, 8. Stetson St. Clair, SHO 7, 8. Levi Vold, LAN 6
Girls Cutting: 1. Adeline Norstegaard, GIL 236
Goat Tying: 1. Hadley Thompson, YOD 126, 14. Jordan Bonenberger, LAN 12, 18. Aislynn Vroman, RIV 8
Light Rifle: 1. Rowdy Alemeda, SAR 50, 2. Melanie Vigoren, PAV 49
Pole Bending: 1. Caitlin Moore, WRI 129, 19. Aislynn Vroman, RIV 19, 21. Faye Hellyer, KIN 16, 28. Irelynn Campbell, SHO 8, 31. Melanie Vigoren, PAV 6
Reined Cow Horse: 1. Cooper Justus, PRK 233
Saddle Bronc: 1. Jake Schlattmann, GRE 128, 9. KC Gibson, PAV 8
Steer Wrestling: 1. Jace Mayfield, MID 116, 4. Cannon Campbell, SHO 102
Team Roping: 1. Cael Espenscheid, BP 110, 23. Cannon Campbell, SHO 39, 50. Stetson St. Clair, SHO 9. 54. Aidan Ruby, RIV 8
Tie Down Calf Roping: 1. Cory Bomhoff, CHE 106.5, 10. Cannon Campbell, SHO 52
Trap Shooting: 1. Jessie Graves, WHT 58
Wyoming Junior High Rodeo Standings:
Bareback Steer: 1. Tyson Schmelzle, GIL 170, 5. Eion Murray, RIV 8
Barrel Racing: 1. Tye Westbrook, CAS 150, 13. Lily Vigoren, PAV 16, 20. Remington Prince, RIV 4
Boys Breakaway: 1. Turek Thompson, YOD 145, 14. Ryker Crimm, RIV 13
Boys Goat Tying: 1. Turek Thompson, YOD 159, 9. Ryker Crimm, RIV 26, 10. Eion Murray, RIV 23
Bull Riding: 1. Callaway Wilson, JAC 146, 2. Eion Murray, RIV 108.5
Chute Dogging: 1. Baylon Sneathen, GIL 144, 8. Ryker Crimm, RIV 37
Girls Breakaway: 1. Rhame Hicks, GIL 130, 12. Lily Vigoren, PAV 5
Girls Goat Tying: 1. Rickie Jo Rourke, GIL 168
Light Rifle: 1. Lily Vigoren, PAV 95
Pole Bending: 1. Abby Milliburg, GIL 144, 6. Lily Vigoren, PAV 76, 9. Remington Prince, RIV 36
Ribbon Roping: 1. Gabriella Longwell, EVN 147, 16. Ryker Crimm, RIV 16
Saddle Bronc Steer: 1. Tandon Schmelzle, GIL 10
Team Roping: 1. Tanner Griemsman, WOR 145
Tie Down Calf Roping: 1. Denton Mackey, GIL 133