California High School Rodeo draws 250 from SoCal
Freshman Justin Schimmel of Santa Paula rides a bull at Parkfield High School Rodeo on Oct 5.
More than 250 high schoolers from Southern California will travel to Paso Robles this weekend — Friday, Nov. 21 through Sunday, Nov. 23 — for California High School Rodeo District 7’s annual Mid-State Classic at the Paso Robles Event Center. The sanctioned rodeo will include participants from districts 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9. District 7 serves San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.
California High School Rodeo District 7 representative Roxanne Usher said that because it is a sanctioned rodeo, the contestants are able to earn points that count toward their bid to go the state finals rodeo in Bishop June 15 to 19. For those that qualify, contestants then go on to nationals July 12 to 18 in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Usher said that District 7 is known as “Magnificent 7.”
“It’s a pretty big rodeo,” said Usher, whose son is a freshman who participated in junior high rodeo and now high school rodeo.
Senior Shaley Stickler of San Luis Obispo competes in breakaway roping at Santa Ynez High School Rodeo on Sept. 20.
High school students — ninth through 12th grades — compete in approximately 10 rodeos throughout the school year at the district level in order to earn points placing them in the Top 5 for state finals. Mid-State Classic is the fourth rodeo for this school year. At the state level, contestants from all nine California districts compete to earn points placing them in the top 4 to qualifying for the National High School Finals Rodeo.
“All of the contestants coming to this rodeo will be coming to earn points,” Usher said.
The Mid-State Classic rodeo is open to the public. There will be a silent auction with about 100 items and a raffle for National Finals Rodeo tickets. The drawing for the tickets will be held on Sunday, winners do not need to be present to win. Usher said that Friday night’s events are open to the public to enter and watch. The Mid-State Classic is the last high school rodeo, and there are no others for junior high, for 2014 for the Magnificent 7.
Mid-State Classic Rodeo schedule
Friday, Nov. 21
- 9 a.m.: Cutting, two Go-Rounds
- 5 p.m.: Rough Stock — saddle bronco, bareback, bull riding — first Go-Round
- 7 p.m.: Jackpot team roping — after the high school rough stock events, with entries taken from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. See the flier for more information.
Saturday, Nov. 22
- 8 a.m.: Rough Stock, second Go-Round
- First Go-Round of other rodeo events — barrel racing, pole bending, team roping, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, and goat tying — to follow.
Sunday, Nov. 23
8 a.m.: Second Go-Round of barrel racing, pole bending, team roping, tie-down roping, breakaway roping and goat tying
For more information about the Magnificent 7, go to www.chsradist7.com.
