Local Students Qualify To Compete At World’s Largest Rodeo

Monte Faulkner competes in a saddle bronc event. Courtesy photo

Jacob Martinez bull riding. Courtesy photo

BY RONDA TRUJILLO

Wacey Trujillo, Addison Tixier and Monte Faulkner, local youth rodeo competitors have qualified to compete at the 2023 National High School Finals Rodeo following the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association’s state finals in late May.

Addison Tixier is a freshman attending Jemez Mountain High School who resides in Lindrith. Monte Faulkner is a Junior at Escalante High School who resides in Los Ojos. Each have earned a position on the New Mexico state/provincial National High School rodeo team and will be traveling with fellow teammates to Gillette, Wyoming July 16 – 22 to compete at the 75^th Annual National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR).

Wacey Trujillo will compete in the Girls Goat Tying, Addison Tixier will compete in the Light Rifle Competition and Monte Faulkner will compete in the Saddle Bronc competition. Wacey Trujillo is the high school Girls Goat Tying State Champion and Monte Faulkner is the State Champion Saddle Bronc cowboy.

At the state level, other local students that participated in 16 rodeos this school year and at State Finals at the High School level were Stetson Trujillo, an Abiquiu cowboy who is a freshman at Los Alamos High School and finished in the top 10 in both Team Roping and Trap Shooting and also participated in Tie-Down Roping.

Baylor Faulkner, a senior at Escalante High School from Los Ojos, finished in 5^th place in Barrel Racing. Keelin Faulkner, a sophomore at Escalante High School from Los Ojos, finished in the top 20 in Girls Breakaway Roping. Jacob Martinez, a Junior at Escalante High School from Tierra Amarilla, finished in the top 10 in Bull Riding. Wacey Trujillo was also a top 5 finisher in Girls Breakaway Roping and top 10 in Team Roping. Addison Tixier also finished in the top 10 in Girls Goat Tying.

When Wacey, Addison and Monte compete at High School Nationals, they will be among 1,700 contestants from 44 states, five Canadian Provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand, the NHSFR is the world’s largest rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $150,000 in prizes and over $150,000 in added money, NHSFR contestants will also be competing for more than $375,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named an NHSFR World Champion. To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20 – based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds – to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/scores.

Again, this year, the Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch Highschool Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. LIVE broadcasts of each NHSFR performance will air online at www.thecowboychannel.com. Performance times begin at 7 p.m. on July 16 and competition continues daily at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. through July 22. Make sure to catch the action!

Along with great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NHSFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy volleyball, contestant dances, family-oriented activities, church services sponsored by Golden Spur Ministries, and shopping at the NHSFR tradeshow.

To follow your local favorites at the NHSFR, visit NHSRA.com daily for complete results. For ticket information, visit https://www.cam-plex.com/p/nhsfr/ticketing.

Good luck to Wacey Trujillo, Addison Tixier and Monte Faulkner in Wyoming!