Gonzales cowboys, cowgirls dominate at rodeo finals

GONZALES — The state finals week for the Texas Youth Rodeo Association was highly successful for many Gonzales County athletes taking wins in their event and in the overall standings.

Waelder’s Kori Bigbee did well in her lone event of the state finals, competing in the sub-junior division cloverleaf. She was timed at 16.481 on her first go, good for fifth, 16.576 on her second go, good for fifth and 16.748 seconds on her short go, good for seventh. Bigbee finished in fifth at the event, but first in the overall standings.

Kade Bigbee, another Waelder athlete, competed in four events during the finals.

In junior boys breakaway, Bigbee was timed at 12.160 seconds in his first go, but no timed his second goal, finishing 14th overall this year.

In ribbon roping, he took first with Port Lavaca’s Saydi St. Clair in the first go with his time of 6.220 seconds. Although they no timed their second go, the team still made it to the short go, taking second with their time of 5.830 seconds. They were barely edged out by El Campo’s Kolton Mazoch and Kirby Rawlinson who were timed at 5.610 seconds in the short go.

As a roper, Bigbee took fifth overall this year.

In junior boys tiedown, Bigbee finished 15th in the first go with his time of 20.370 seconds. He improved in the second go with his fifth-place time of 11.080 seconds. In the short go he took fifth again, with his time of 12.530 seconds, giving him a sevent-place overall finish this year.

In his final event of the finals, Bigbee no timed his first go but finished in ninth at team roping with Alvin’s John Michael Elliott with their time of 23.430 seconds. As a header, Bigbee finished sixth overall this year.

Gonzales’ own Trace Herndon also had a good rodeo as he competed in the junior-boys division.

In breakaway, Herndon took fifth in the first go with a time of 3.390 seconds, fourth in the second with a time of 3.330 and no timed in the short go, giving him a fifth-place finish in the finals but a fourth place overall finish this year.

In ribbon roping, Herndon and Utopia’s Madison Outhier took sixth in the first go with a time of 10.340 seconds while no timing their second go. Herndon finished the season 16th overall as a roper.

His final event was the tie down, where Herndon no timed his first go but took sixth in his second with a time of 12.090 seconds. He finished 19th overall this year.

Cost’s Cullen Eppright participated in three events last week in the junior boys age group.

In breakaway, Eppright finished 12th in the first go with his time of 12.030 seconds and no timed in his second go, leaving him in second place overall this year.

Alongside Three Rivers’ Elizabeth Johnston, Eppright finished seventh in the first go with a time of 11.190 seconds while finishing second in the second go with their time of 6.040 seconds. Their short go of 6.980 seconds was good for seventh, leaving Eppright third overall this season as a roper.

His final event was junior boys tie down, where he dominated the entire week. In his first go, Eppright finished with a time of 9.500 seconds, good for first place that round. His second-go time of 9.980 gave him second while his short-go time of 9.400 seconds was good for first place, giving him a first-place finish in the finals. He finished third overall this year.

Nixon’s Brooke Hester also competed in the finals in senior girls breakaway and team roping, but no timed during all her rounds.