Marker, Mills siblings qualify for rodeo nationals

Caden Marker, 15, a freshman at Colfax High School next fall, placed first in three events at the Washington State Junior and High School Rodeo finals over Memorial Day weekend.

The top four finishers qualify for nationals to be held this June 23-29 in Huron, S. D.

Marker won goat tying, breakaway roping and team roping, with teammate Hank Sutton of Yakima.

He also won State Reserve All-Around Cowboy for the second-most cumulative points.

At nationals, he will compete against kids from the United States, Canada, Mexico and Australia.

Ryan and Lance Mills, siblings from St. John, also qualified for the national junior high and high school rodeo competition after placing in the top four at the state level.

Ryan Mills, St. John seventh-grader, qualified in barrel racing when she placed fourth at state.

Ryan's mother, Jessica Mills, said Ryan started riding when she was about two or three.

This was the first time Ryan has qualified for nationals. She has been involved with the Washington State Junior High Rodeo Association for two years.

Lance Mills, St. John graduate, qualified for two events, tie down roping and trap shooting.

He took first place in the state for tie-down roping and second in trapshooting. This is third time he qualified for nationals during high-school.

He also placed sixth in team roping.

He will compete in the high school nationals at Rock Springs, Wyo., from July 14 to July 20.

Junior High and High School Rodeo season in Washington runs four weekends in the fall and four in the spring, for 16 total rodeos (one each day of each weekend).

Left: Caden Marker competes in tie-down roping last year in South Dakota at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo.