High school rodeo: Wells, MeGill are state champions

Check out our photos from the event

The Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals finished up Saturday at Majestic Valley Arena, and a trio of Browning boys got it done.

Randon Boyce had a ride of 74.5 points to win Saturday’s championship round in saddle bronc, and he is one of two Browning products to qualify for the National Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming, July 13-19; bull riding champion Tahj Wells is the other. 

Wace Williams was fourth in the bareback Saturday and is also qualified for nationals. 

Other area national qualifiers were Kalispell’s Isabella Moran in barrel racing; state champion Tess Megill of Bigfork and Ruby Ray of Whitefish in pole pending (Ray was second and Megill fourth on Saturday’s round); and Wells and Columbia Falls’ Octavius Christianson in bull riding.  

Kalispell’s Zoey Bruyer was third in Saturday’s breakaway roping. 

Montana High School Rodeo Finals 

Majestic Valley Arena 

Saturday 

Bareback  

Championship Round: 1. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls, 74.5; 2. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 66.5; 3. Wace Williams, Browning, 47.  

National Qualifiers: 1. Leighton Lafromboise, Helena, 228 (3-Ɵme State Champion); 2. William Barnett, Absarokee, 174.5; 3. Wyatt Warneke, Great Falls,152; 4. Wace Williams, Browning, 77.  

Barrel Racing  

Championship Round: 1. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 15.65; 2. Jocie Rowen, Musselshell, 15.96; 3. Landry Larson, Sidney, 15.99; 4. Mesa Radue, Belgrade, 16.02; 5. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 16.04; 6. Allie Huskey, Shepherd 16.06.  

National Qualifiers: 1. Jocie Roen, Musselshell, 212.5; 2. Landry Larson, Sidney, 195; 3. Abigail DeVos, Fort Shaw, 184; 4. Isabella Moran, Kalispell, 169.50.  

Steer Wrestling  

Championship Round: 1. Ryder Gaasch, Dillon, 5.99; 2. Burke Nowak, Worden, 7.28; 3. Charlie Cornwell, Glasgow, 9.07; 4. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 10.6; 5. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 12.53.  

National Qualifiers: 1. Ryder Gaasch, Dillon, 220; 2. Tike Erickson, Hobson, 195; 3. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 183; 4. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 175.  

Saddle Bronc  

Championship Round: 1. Randon Boyce, Browning, 74.5; 2. Colton Haase, East Helena, 73; 3. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 64.5; 4. Kash Bouma, Fairfield, 51. 

National Qualifiers - 1. Levi Noyes, Sarpy, 225; 2. Randon Boyce, Browning, 200; 3. Colton Haase, East Helena, 167; 4. Tahj Wells, Browning, 140.5.  

Breakaway  

Championship Round: 1. Josie Robb, Bozeman, 2.99; 2. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 3.07; 3. Zoey Bruyer, Kalispell, 3.23; 4. Josephine Michael, Cut Bank, 3.28; 5. Brylan Garrett, Butte, 3.3; 6. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 3.36.  

National Qualifiers: 1. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 156.5; 2. Paisley Verhelst, Pryor, 151; 3. Josephine Michael, Cut Bank, 142.5; 4. Molly Gilbert, Billings, 141.  

Tie Down Roping  

Championship Round: 1. AJ Swenson, Huntley, 8.68; 2. Blaise Bolich, 11.04; 3. Bryton Mikkelson, Buffalo, 11.19; 4-5 Pacen Buller, Glendive, & Cole DeVos, Fort Shaw, 11.8; 6. Teagen Arnold, Conrad, 12.34.  

National Qualifies: 1. Blaise Bolich, Belgrade, 223.5; 2. Pacen Buller, Glendive, 190.;3 . AJ Swenson, Huntley, 184; 4. Bryton Mikkelson, Buffalo, 165.  

Goat Tying  

Championship Round: 1. Madison Kruzich, Shepherd, 6.89; 2. Cassie Gibson, Havre, 7.04; 3. Parker Lenhardt, Helena, 7.32; 4. Sally Robb, Bozeman, 7.43; 5. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 7.47; 6. Josie Robb, Bozeman, 7.68.  

National Qualifiers: 1. Aspen Swenson, Huntley, 206; 2. Parker Lenhardt, Helena, 187; 3. Josie Robbins, Dillon, 181; 4. Madison Kruzich, Shepherd, 174.  

Team Roping  

Championship Round: 1. Gage & Bryton Mikkelson, Buffalo, 6.12; 2. Tristen Antonich, Simms & Josie Robb, Bozeman, 6.99; 3. Sam Peterson, Three Forks & Royce Levine, Wolf Creek, 10.71; 4. Raya Elings, Shepherd & Curtis Pretty On Top, Fort Smith, 11.13; 5. AJ & Aspen Swenson, Huntley 31.8. 

National Qualifiers: 1. Tate & Trace Poppe, Fallon, 184; 2. Charlie & JP Cornwell, Glasgow, 169; 3. Ali & Tike Erickson, Hobson, 134; 4. Cooper McMillan & Preston Ostrum, Huntley, 132.  

Pole Bending  

Championship Round: 1. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 20.14; 2. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 20.57; 3. Laney Rose Cote, Eureka, 20.9; 4. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 20.94; 5. Linden Schenk, Joliet, 21.10; 6. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 21.13. 

National Qualifiers: 1. Tess Megill, Bigfork, 208; 2. Shelby Gobbs, Glendive, 186; 3. Mackenzie Martell, Three Forks, 185; 4. Ruby Ray, Whitefish, 168.  

Bull Riding  

Championship Round: 1. Cole Holdbrook, Roberts, 58; 2. Brezhon Spang, Busby, 56.5. 

National Qualifiers: 1. Tahj Wells, Browning, 107.5; 2. Octavius Christianson, Columbia Falls, 104; 3. Andy Wagner, Billings, 72; 3. Colt Holdbrook, Roberts, 68.

    Clay Koehler, from Ronan, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Paige Johnston, from Polson, competes in barrel racing at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider   

    Tahj Wells, from Browning, competes in bull riding at the Montana High School Rodeo Association Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Thursday, June 5. (Casey Kreider/Daily Inter Lake)
 Casey Kreider