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:Â Â 20th – Claire Verhulst – Reva, SDÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 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/
