Now more than halfway through the high school rodeo season, the Ute Mountain High School rodeo team continues to produce impressive results.
Competing in Eagle, Colo., May 2-4, Montezuma-Cortez High School junior Whitney Finley was especially impressive, earning first place finishes in the Breakaway Roping event with scores of 2.680 and 2.470.
Also earning a top finish for the Ute Mountain Team was Dolores High School senior Tanner Lockhart, who placed earned first place finishes in the Saddle Bronc event with scores of 70 and 74.
With the two wins, Lockhart has now won 12 Saddle Bronc titles this season and is ranked first overall in the state.
Rounding out the Ute Mountain Team’s top finishers, Cade Van Soelen and Jace Norell took top honors in the team-roping event with a score of 7.880 seconds.
Other top finishers for the Ute Mountain Team included Stormi Pitman, who earned a third-place finish in Barrel Racing and a fifth-place finish in Goat Tying; Madeline Shaline, who finished fourth in Breakaway Roping; Bailee Karo, who finished sixth in pole bending; and Shelbie Fullmer, who earned two seventh-place finishes in Barrel Racing.
Next up for the Ute Mountain High School team will be a two-day rodeo in Kiowa, which will take place, May 17-18.
The team will then compete in the Colorado High School Rodeo Finals, which will be held in Craig, May 22-26.