Six of seven Kaua’i District High School Rodeo Association members will be competing in the 54th annual National High School Finals Rodeo in New Mexico from July 22-28. The rodeo finals is the largest rodeo in the world and will
Six of seven Kaua’i District High School Rodeo Association members will be competing in the 54th annual National High School Finals Rodeo in New Mexico from July 22-28.
The rodeo finals is the largest rodeo in the world and will feature 1,500 of the best cowboys and cowgirls from 39 states, four Canadian provinces and Australia.
The competitors will be vying to be named the National High School Rodeo national champion and competing for $125,000 in prizes and $170,000 in college scholarships.
Seven of ten Kaua’i District High School Rodeo Association members competed in the HHS Rodeo state finals at the Parker Ranch in Kamuela, Hawai’i on June 8, 9,10.
As result, six of seven qualified for the national competition at McGee park in Farmington, N.M. They include Alana Brun, Marcus Laymon, McKenzie McCoy, Kurtis Low, Skye Andrade and Austin Mendes.
Jessica Morris of Waimea, won the “double-mugging” and po’o-wai-u” events at the state championships, but will not compete in the national competition because the events are not recognized by the sponsors at this time.
The youths excelled in the state competition to qualify for the national finals.
During the state championship, the Kaua’i competitors took two titles in “dally team” and goat tying, according to Pam (McCoy) Grant, Kaua’i District director of the Kaua’i Keiki High School Rodeo Association.
State championship title and buckle titles were awarded to Low and Laymon.
The son of Tarey and Ann Low of Lihu’e and Kaua’i High School sophomore, Low was the Kaua’i district champion in dally team competition and Hawaii’s own double mugging and puu-wai-u competition.
The son of Bruce and Norma Laymon of Wailua and Kapa’a High School sophomore , Laymon was the Kaua’i District boy’s all-around champion. Both youths were Kauai district rodeo champions.
McCoy, meanwhile, was awarded the Hawai’i High School Rodeo Association state championship title and buckle in the goat tying event, and was fourth in the state in the cutting event.
McCoy qualified for the national finals in goat tying, cutting, barrel racing and pole bending events. She will represent the state in goat tying and pole bending.
McCoy was also awarded the scholar-athlete award at the state championship. McCoy, a 2002 graduate of Kahili Adventist School, is the daughter of Pam (McCoy) Grant and Walter McCoy.
Andrade took the all-around award in the Kaua’i District High School Rodeo finals at the C.J.M. Country Stables in Po’ipu in May.
At the state finals, Andrade was second runner-up in the rodeo queen contest and also qualified for the national finals in goat tying.
Andrade, a junior at Waimea High School, is the daughter of Michael and Sherry Andrade of Lawa’i.
Brun qualified for the national finals in the pole bending event. She is a junior at Kaua’i High School and is the daughter of Adam and Joycelyn Brun of Kalaheo.
Mendes, a Kaua’i District High School Rodeo Association steer wrestling champion, will compete in the steer wrestling competition in the national finals. Mendes is a sophomore at Kapa’a High School and is the son of Robert and Pam Mendes.
Morris is a Kaua’i District High School Rodeo Association girl’s breakaway champion, and finished in Hawai’i’s “own event double mugging” event. Morris is the granddaughter of Eddie and Eloise Taniguchi of Waimea and the daughter of Jasmine Kahepo’o.
Bruce Laymon, the father of Marcus Laymon, said three fund-raisers will be held to defray the travel costs – $6,000 – for the each Kaua’i competitor and a chaperone.
A benefit rodeo with events in roping and barrels will start at 9 a.m. on June 23 in Kealia. A golf course tournament will be held at the Wailua Golf Course on July 6. A laulau sale also will be held, with pickup at WalMart in Lihu’e on July 13.
Laymon said Hawai’i contingents have traditionally been well received at the national finals.
“We bring leis. and macadamia nuts. There is the parade float. People look at Hawai’i as being among the best attractions,” Laymon said. “We make an impact. We are promoting not only Kaua’i but the state of Hawai’i.”
He said that Kaua’i County Councilman Daryl Kaneshiro, a rancher and cowboy himself, will ask the council to pass a resolution honoring the Kaua’i competitors.
