District 5 Finals rodeo at county fairgrounds

The Daily Inter Lake

The Montana High School Rodeo Association (MHSRA) District 5 Finals will take place Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Flathead County Fairgrounds.

Cutting performances begin Friday at 5 p.m. Saturday's rodeo begins at 10 a.m., followed by the final performance at 9 a.m. Sunday. The weekend events are free to the public.

MHSRA is divided into five regions and has a membership of 400 high school student/athletes from across the state.

This weekend's event features 64 high school rodeo athletes from Northwest, West Central and Southwest Montana. They will be competing for titles in bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, team roping, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, pole bending, barrel racing and cutting events.

District 5 will have many of the top ranked high school rodeo athletes in the state competing this weekend. Kate Sharon of Dillon, Jessica Picchietti of Arlee and Lexy Rianda of Kalispell hold the top three rankings in goat tying.

Rachel Thomson of Columbia Falls was a National High School Rodeo barrel racing qualifier last year.

Kaehl Berg of Deer Lodge and 2005 Montana High School Rodeo Bareback Champion and National High School Rodeo Finals contestant Chad Marquardt of Kalispell are currently tied for first in bareback.

Cory Gilbert of Conner leads the calf roping and Levi Guenzler of Ronan is the steer wrestling leader.

The Flathead Valley High School Rodeo Team will have 18 athletes competing this weekend. Those members who have earned points throughout the season will compete at the Montana State High School Rodeo Finals June 21-25 in Helena. They will all be vying for a chance to compete on the Montana team at the National High School Rodeo Finals in July in Springfield, Ill.

Placing fifth through 10th in events at state earn rodeo participants a trip to Silver State, which is held July 3-9 in Fallon, Nev.