Rodeo winners set for nationals and Silver State International

Rosalia sophomore Jacey Johnson participates during the goat tying event at the state rodeo finals in Kennewick. Johnson placed second in the event, qualifying her for a trip to nationals in Wyoming.

St. John/Endicott senior Cooper Mills participates in the tie down roping event at the state rodeo finals in Kennewick. Mills, the only senior on the Whitman County Rodeo Team, placed third in the tie down roping and also placed second in team roping. He will move on to nationals in both events. Mills will attend Vernon College in Texas in the fall on a full-ride rodeo scholarship.

By Kara McMurray

Gazette Reporter

Several Whitman County students placed at the state high school and junior high rodeo in Kennewick over Memorial Day weekend and will move on to the National High School Finals Rodeo and the Silver State International Rodeo.

St. John-Endicott’s Cooper Mills, the only senior on the Whitman County team, placed second in team roping with partner Caleb Berquist.

He also placed third in tie down roping, and he will go to nationals for both events.

Mills’ rodeo participation has also earned him a full-ride scholarship to attend Vernon College in Vernon, Texas, where he will continue his participation in rodeo.

Berquist, a Colfax freshman from LaCrosse, also placed seventh in tie down roping, and will go on to Silver State.

He will joined Mills for nationals in team roping.

He was also selected as the 2015 Washington State High School Rookie of the Year.

Jacey Johnson, a Rosalia sophomore, and Lance Mills, a St. John-Endicott eighth grader, both qualified for nationals with third place finishes in team roping.

Johnson also qualified for nationals in goat tying, finishing second, and Mills placed first in tie down roping and second in chute dogging, also earning him spots at nationals.

Mills was named Reserve All Around Champion as well.

Sprague sophomore Tommi Sue Swannack earned two nationals spots with a second place finish in light rifle and a third place finish in goat tying.

At the high school level, Colfax sophomore Callie Rae Marker qualified for Silver State with a sixth place finish in goat tying and a 15th place finish in team roping.

Rosalia freshman Justice Garner will also go to Silver State after a 14th place finish in team roping.

Many of the junior high students will also go to nationals in July.

St. John-Endicott eighth grader Riley Lamb had a fourth place finish in light rifle shooting, and Colfax eighth grader Mackenzie Marker was named the 2015 Jr High All Around Cowgirl following a first place finish in goat tying and team roping and a second place finish in breakaway roping.

She will go to nationals in all three categories.

Sydney Berquist, a Colfax sixth grader from LaCrosse, will go to Silver State in three categories.

She placed fifth in pole bending, ninth in barrels and 10th in breakaway roping.

The state rodeo finals were filmed, and will air on SWX at 7 p.m.

on June 25.

The Silver State International Rodeo will take place June 30-July 5 in Winnemuca, Neb., and those who qualified for nationals will participate in the 2015 National High School Finals Rodeo July 12-18 at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyo.