South Dakota Boys Team moves up to third, West, Ford lead the average at NHSFR

GILLETTE, WY. – The National High School Rodeo Finals is heading into its final weekend, and Team South Dakota overall is sitting fourth in the points.

Texas continues to dominate the points standings, sitting in first place with 8,475. Utah is second in the overall with Oklahoma in third.

In the Boys team standings, South Dakota is third behind Texas and Utah and in the Girls Team Standings, Team South Dakota is tenth. Texas leads the Girls’ standings with Oklahoma in second and Utah third.

In Thursday’s action, Claire Verhulst of Reva turned in a solid fourth place finish in the Barrel Racing with a time of 17.393.

In the Boys Cutting, Cody Dirkes of Hermosa also finished fourth with a 142 and Reece Reder of Fruitdale was fifth in the Thursday morning Bull Riding performance with a score of 62.

In the Goat Tying on Thursday morning, Mataya Ward of Fruitdale placed fourth with an 8.19 and Landry Haugen of Sturgis placed second in the evening performance with a 7.66.

In the Saddle Bronc, Thayne Elshere of Hereford scored a second-best 95 in the morning performance and Eastan West of New Underwood placed second in the evening performance with a 74.

In the Steer Wrestling, Grey Gilbert of Buffalo placed fourth in morning performance with a 5.19 and Gage Gilbert of Camp Crook finished second in the evening Steer Wrestling performance.

South Dakota contestants in the top 20 in the average at the NHSFR:

Barrel Racing:   20th – Claire Verhulst – Reva, SD         35.83 seconds

Bareback Riding:   1st  – Kashton Ford – Sturgis           157 points on 2 head

Boys Cutting:   11th – Cody Dirkes – Hermosa        279

Bull Riding:   16th – Kash Krogman – New Underwood             72 points

Goat Tying:   4th  – Mataya Ward – Fruitdale, SD              15.38 seconds on 2
9th – Landry Haugen – Sturgis                     16.13

Saddle Bronc:   1st – Eastan West – New Underwood        149 points on 2 head
3rd – Thayne Elshere – Hereford                144

Steer Wrestling:   4th – Grey Gilbert – Buffalo                  10.98 seconds on 2
9th – Gage Gilbert – Camp Crook         12.47 seconds

Tie-Down Roping:   20th – Tate Hoffman – Highmore           28.22 seconds on 2 head

Complete results can be found here: https://nhsra.com/2023-nhsfr-results/