State competitors eye rodeo nationals

The New Mexico State high school state rodeo had short go competition on Saturday night at the Curry County Events Center to see who will advance to the nationals in Farmington next month.

Pacen Marez of Fort Sumner finished with the second-fastest time of the night before 10.97 seconds, which held through Saturday morning at the Curry County Special Events Center in Clovis.

“It was a pretty good run,” said Marez, who was happy to see the state finals relatively close to home. “It could have been faster.”

Aztec’s Jared Osbourn, who competes in saddle bronc, said the state event isn’t just another rodeo.

He said he has worked hard to get where he is today.

“I’ve been working all spring,” Osbourn said. “It means a lot to me because I’ve been working my butt off to learn my bucking horse.”

For Osbourn the competition with Mike Hillman make things interesting, since they keep switching places in the high school standings. Coming into the short go, Osbourn was two and half points behind Hillman for first.

Wayne Wilson of Los Lunas said it is an honor for the students to be here.

He brought his nephew, Tyke Kipp, to the rodeo. Wilson used to rodeo before he got sick, and appreciates the indoor building.

“This building alone is so much better, with it being air controlled,” Wilson said.

Wilson said he used to rodeo so he knows how the elements can affect competition.

“It is a better opportunity in competing,” Wilson said. “You don’t have rain on your rope. When you ride, you don’t have rain or mud, there's no excuse.”

Lane Sauter of Continental Divide said the rodeo is important to him, since he is fourth overall in the high school standings.

“It was a long drive,” Sauter said. “This rodeo is important to me because I’m sitting fourth in the standings and I need this rodeo to catch up.”

Sauter got his hand caught during the saddle bronc ride Friday night and could not let go of the horse.

In the short go events on Saturday, the top four in each event advance to the national meet. Bloomfield’s Samantha Martinez was named the 2009-10 Rodeo Queen for NMHSRA on Saturday night.

Results of the events were not available at press time.