WAIMEA n Sumiko Falque was not competing, but working hard at the Paniolo Challenge Sunday in Waimea. Falque is one of four high school rodeo qualifiers for the National High School Rodeo Association finals and was tending to a concession
WAIMEA n Sumiko Falque was not competing, but working hard at the Paniolo Challenge Sunday in Waimea.
Falque is one of four high school rodeo qualifiers for the National High School Rodeo Association finals and was tending to a concession to help her defray some of the expenses involved in the upcoming competition.
“It costs about a thousand dollars just for the ticket,” Falque said. “On top of that, we need to buy gas, pay for the hotel and food.”
The NHSRA rodeo will be held in Springfield, Ill. from July 24 to 30, but Falque said she will probably leave a few days earlier so she can prepare for the competition.
She was selling a variety of items spectators at the Paniolo Challenge could indulge in. There were plates of kalua pig and some kulolo, a dessert created out of coconut milk.
There was also a rubber duck/fish pond concession where keiki soon discovered added benefits of the rubber ducks other than earning prizes n they could be filled with water from “the pond” and used as water pistols to help cool people from the hot Waimea sun.
Falque will join three other high school qualifiers for the upcoming NHSRA rodeo. Krystin Vasconcelles, the state Breakaway champion, Kristene Sugai, and Randy Brun; all are Kaua‘i NHSRA qualifiers.
Sugai was promoting a fundraising rodeo that will be held in the Waipa Arena on July 9 starting at 9 a.m. The event will help earn funds to get to Illinois.
Just off to the side, Junior Wrangler qualifier Kalani Grace had a 15-inch saddle on display that people could win with a $10 donation. Those funds would help Kalani get to the Mainland rodeo.
Grace is one of four Junior Wrangler qualifiers who will be heading to Gallup, N.M. for their national competition coming up July 10 to July 15.
Kelli and Cory Carveiro, a brother-and-sister combo, and Marcus Shimogawa will join Grace at the Junior Wrangler competition.
For those who want that saddle and didn’t make it to the Paniolo Challenge, donations are being accepted through July 31 at the Dally Up restaurant on Papalina Road in Kalaheo. The saddle drawing will take place on July 1.
Proceeds from the Paniolo Challenge benefited the Kaua‘i Keiki and High School Rodeo Association which make it possible for Kaua‘i’s keiki and high school cowboys and cowgirls to compete at local, state and national levels.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
