Three will go to National Junior High Rodeo

* For full pictures, see the Weekly Pages sectio for this week's paper.

Three junior high students from the county have qualified to compete in the National Junior High Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa, June 22-28.

They will compete against approximately 1,000 contestants from 42 states and five Canadian provinces.

Junior wranglers qualify for the nationals with top placings which are compiled from 10 Washington state junior rodeos around the state and the finals which were at Coulee City May 17-18.

At top left, Mackenzie Marker, a seventh grader at Colfax, finished the season first in the goat tying, first in the ribbon roping, third in the team roping and third in breakaway roping.

The daughter of J.D. and Valerie Marker of Colfax, she was named all-around cowgirl at the state finals in Coulee City.

This will be Mackenzie’s second time in the NJHFR. She qualified last year in team roping.

At top right, Caleb Berquist, an eighth grader at Colfax, qualified with first-place state finishes in calf roping and ribbon roping.

He also placed third in goat tying and was named reserve all-around cowboy at state.

He is the son of Shane and Kim Berquist of LaCrosse.

At bottom left, Lance Mills, St. John, placed second in breakaway roping for the state.

The son of Rod and Jessica Mills of St. John, he is a seventh grader at Endicott-St. John Middle School.