With around 1000 competitors from 43 states in the US, five Canadian provinces, Mexico and Australia, the NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo and Cloncurry local Maisy Hetherington qualified.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The year nine student from Saint Joseph's Catholic College earned her position on the Australian team and will be travelling with fellow team mates to Huron in South Dakota.
Miss Hetherington said a lot of hard work had gone into her training.
“Kristie and Lee Moore have been a massive help, always pushing me to my limits and making sure I’m on my game.”
“My family have been my biggest support and so have Lana and Terry Wicks for mounting me out on their cool little horse which qualified me for Nationals,” she said.
In addition to competing for more than $80,000 in prizes, the Hetherington and the other contestants will also be vying for more than $200,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo World Champion.
To earn this title contestants must finish in the top 20 which is based on their combined times and scores in the first two rounds.
World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times and scores.
Miss Hetherington said she would be mentored by some of the great names in the rodeo circuit.
“I’m going over pretty confident, I’m mounting out on some pretty neat horses which is a huge help to me and I’ll be around great people that have a huge name in the rodeo circuit that will push me all the way to the end.”
Whilst the contestants are there its not all hard work, they will have the opportunity to meet new friends and enjoy a variety of sports like volleyball, dances and family-orientated activities.
