Photo gallery: 7 local athletes earn rodeo state championships, 23 place for spot in nationals

EASTERN IDAHO — During last week’s Idaho High School Rodeo Association State Finals, seven local athletes earned state titles, with another 16 earning a spot in July’s nationals.

Hundreds of the top rodeo athletes from across Idaho and neighboring states competed in 16 events.

Firth’s Ryder Wallace beat out Grace’s Tate Stoddard for the bareback riding championship. Preston’s Hanna Bingham won the breakaway roping competition, Arbon’s Katelyn Evans won pole bending, Dingle’s Cooper Skinner the reined cow horse, St. Anthony’s Kash Angell the saddle bronc, Holbrook’s Ruger Smith the steer wrestling and Malad City’s Colter Bennet the tie-down roping.

Visit the Idaho High School Rodeo Association State Finals page — here — for the full results of the six-day event. The top four finishers in each event have earned the right to represent the region in the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) national rodeo in Lincoln, Neb., scheduled for July 19-25.

Here are some of our favorite photos from the event:

All photos by Kyle Riley, EastIdahoSports.com