POIPU — Casera Silva, a ninth grade rodeo participant, finished the Hawaii High School Rodeo Association State Finals that wrapped up last weekend by winning a good share of honors at Parker Ranch on the Big Island.
Casera, who is almost always challenged by her sister Coryssa for top point getting on Kauai, entered the state rodeo for the first time this year, competing in a field of 48 other cowboys and cowgirls.
She ended up with the 2019 Rookie of the Year honor because it was her first year competing in the high school division and accumulating 512.5 points, second only to Kilihea Mockchew who piled up 546.0 points, after competing in all seven state events, including cutting, reining cow horse, barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and team roping.
En route to the top rookie honor, Casera picked up a state championship buckle in the breakaway roping after taking the first go on a 2.717-second go, the fastest time in the event. She tumbled to fourth place in the second go with a 3.894 run, and rebounded to a third place finish in the third go with a 4.281 run. The accumulated go’s gave her an average of 10.992 on three go’s to win the event.
In other events, Casera finished fourth in barrel racing, third in pole bending, fourth in cutting, and seventh in reining cow horse to give her the State Champion Reserve All-Around Cowgirl honor. This honor translates to finishing second overall in layman’s terms.
Casera will likely be back in the arena, June 30 when the Kauai All Girls Rodeo Association hosts its fifth rodeo at the CJM Country Stables in Poipu. There is no admission to the event that starts with the Grand Entry at 10 a.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
