Cayce Lockhart, of the Ute Mountain Rodeo Team, won the reserve pole bending championship at the Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo in Gallup, N.M., on June 24-27, taking home the coveted Red Bluff silver/turquoise buckle and a $1,500 prize.
Lockhart qualified to go back to the short go in both barrels and pole bending. Her average for three runs in the poles was 65.79.
Bri Suckla captured third place in the breakaway roping event with an average score of 11.93 on three head. She brought home $1,490.
Coloradans captured five championships at the rodeo, which drew contestants from as far away as Louisiana. The rodeo is open to qualified high school rodeo contestants from across the United States.
Kelly Valdez, of La Junta, Colo., won first-place honors. She and Lockhart were the only two contestants who didn’t have a penalty for knocking down a pole during the four-day competition.
Other Ute Mountain Rodeo Team members who competed in the rodeo were Cade Van Solen, Whitney Finley, Shelby Fullmer, Stormi Pitman and Maddie Shaline. Van Solen and his partner, Lance Stevens, made it back to the short go in team roping for the final performance on Saturday.
Lockhart has had a strong spring rodeo season, with wins in the pole bending championship at the Four States Winter Series Rodeo and the pole bending championship at SJCJRSR Rodeo series in New Mexico. She tied for the barrel racing championship at SJCJRSR Rodeo with Lauren Kelsey, of Durango.
Team member Cammie Maxwell won the barrel racing championship in the Four States Winter Series Rodeo. Cassie Finley placed ninth in goat tying at the Silver States International Rodeo in Winnemucca, Nev., held June 30 through July 5.
Shaline was reserve champion in the breakaway roping at the Colorado High School Rodeo Finals and qualified to go to the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyo.
The team’s regular high school 2015-2016 season will start with a Colorado State High School Rodeo Association rodeo in Cortez on Labor Day weekend.
