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Sanpete qualifies 6 for National High School Rodeo Finals in Nebraska

ByGreg Knight
The Sanpete County High School Rodeo Club is, (top row, from left) McKade Sweat, Dexter Tsaturyan, Caleb Tree, Cody Nielson, Karter Quarnberg, Owen Paulson and Hagen Nielson.
            (Bottom row, from left) Kenley Kelso, Oakley Sederquist, Ellie Stephenson, Audrey Tree, Kadience Allred, Kortlynn Brotherson, Oaklee Beckstead, Skylee Millett, Isabel Shove, Lucy Sweat and Oaklee Payton.
Fifteen members qualified for the Utah High School Rodeo Finals in Heber City. Of those, four are headed to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln. Neb.

MANTI—The Sanpete County High School Rodeo Club, which draws members from all three public high school in the county, will send six athletes to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln, Neb., after a strong performance at the Utah High School Rodeo Finals in Heber City.

The national qualifiers are Audrey Tree in girls cutting, Caleb Tree in boys cutting, Kortlyn Brotherson in reined cow horse, Cody Nielson and Hagen Nielson in bareback riding and Karter Quarnberg in trap shooting.

The club’s success capped a season that required competitors to travel throughout Utah, earning points to qualify for the state finals. Fifteen of the club’s 20 members did qualify for the six-day state finals competition in late July.

“We are honored to have such talented and hardworking students represent our club, county, schools and community,” said club secretary Cathie Beesley.

In cutting, Audrey Tree, Skylee Millett and Oakley Sederquist qualified for state in the girls division, while Caleb Tree and Dexter Tsaturyan earned berths in the boys division.

Ellie Stephenson competes in the breakaway roping event in Heber City.

Besides qualifying in reined cow horse, Brotherson competed at the state meet in barrel racing and breakaway roping.

Pole bending qualifiers at the state level included Oaklee Beckstead, Oaklee Payton, Isabel Shove and Millett. Barrel racing qualifiers were Ellie Stephenson, Brotherson and Millett.

Beckstead also qualified in goat tying and breakaway roping. Other breakaway roping qualifiers included Millett, Brotherson and Stephenson.

McKade Sweat qualified for state in tie-down roping and teamed with Millett in team roping competition.

Cody Nielson and Hagen Nielson qualified in bareback riding, while Ryder Coates earned a state finals berth in bull riding.