Kansas Junior High School Rodeo (KJHSRA) Archives

Associations

Kansas Junior High School Rodeo (KJHSRA)

Phone: 785-238-7192
Fax: (800)672-4501

Mailing Address: 14405 S. Halstead Rd., Hutchinson, KS 67504

Email: khsrarodeo@gmail.com

Visit Our Website

Schedule Application

Members

Meet the Member Judd Pope

story by Michele Toberer As the third and youngest brother in the Pope family, 13-year-old Judd is proud to be stepping into the bronc riding boots of his older brothers, Ty and Jess Pope. He actually rides in the saddle that once belonged to them. Born and raised in Kansas, the Waverly High School 8th grader is in his 2nd year of rodeo competition with the Kansas Junior High Rodeo Association and looks forward to…

Meet the Member Samantha Walsh

story by Michele Toberer It all started with a Groupon gift certificate for a riding academy, but little did Samantha Walsh’s grandma know, that the gift certificate would open up a world of horses and rodeo that have now become such a huge part of the Derby, Kansas cowgirl’s life. The 13-year-old 8th grader is now in her rookie year with the Kansas Junior High Rodeo Association and loving every minute of the barrel racing…

Meet the Member Willis Brothers

story by Michele Toberer It’s not too surprising that third generation cowboys, Hazen and Holden Willis are as enthralled with the rodeo world as the two generations of family proceeding them. They are born from the regal NFR competitor blood passed from their grandfather, Junior Lewis, a National Finals Rodeo calf roping qualifier in 1969 and 1971; as well as their aunt, Mardee Hollenbeck, who was a 1994 WNFR barrel racing competitor. Hazen and Holden’s…

Meet the Member Brylee Zook

story by Michele Toberer Eighth-grader, Brylee Zook, has recently joined the Kansas Junior High Rodeo Association and couldn’t be more excited about the new level of competition she finds herself in. The 13-year-old cowgirl has been rodeoing since she was 7 years old, and has competed in multiple youth rodeo associations during the past 6 years, but for now, her sights are set on doing all that she can to qualify for the national junior…

Meet the Member Pax Vogel

story by Michele Toberer For Pax Vogel of Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, the cowboy lifestyle led him straight to the rodeo arena. Just as rodeo was born from the challenge of everyday cowboys showing their skills used in regular ranch work; Pax’s skills began in the very traditional way of helping his dad, Adrian Vogel on the ranch. Pax lives with his parents, Adrian and Abbey, and his three younger sisters, Piper, 12, Lola, 10, and…

Meet the Member Kacen Smith

story by Lily Weinacht Kacen Smith of Newton, Kansas, checked off both his rodeo goals for the 2018/2019 season after many months of hard work leading up to state finals and the NJHFR. The 14-year-old won state in both chute dogging and bareback steer riding, also qualifying for Nationals in goat tying and team roping with Mason Stueve. When the season started, he says he knew he had a good chance to qualify in the…

Meet the Member Mason Stueve

story by Lily Weinacht Mason Stueve of Newton, Kansas, is the 2019 NJHFR Tie-Down Roping Champion. The 14-year-old went into Nationals as the KJHSRA state champion in both tie-down roping and goat tying, and also qualified in the ribbon roping with Grace Gardiner and team roping with Kacen Smith. “My first calf roping run didn’t shake out the best because I ran him through it and caught a back leg, and I tried to bounce…

Meet the Member Mason Gibson

story by Lily Weinacht Mason Gibson from Reading, Kansas, finished his rookie season in the KJHSRA with a qualification to the NJHFR in Huron, South Dakota. The 14-year-old took 4th in the chute dogging and 6th in the ribbon roping with Makayla Matile at state, while he also competed in tie-down roping, and team roping with Josh Meyer. “I was feeling pretty good going into it about my horses and all the events. I practiced…

Meet the Member Josh Meyer

story by Lily Weinacht This is Josh Meyer’s second season in the KJHSRA and rodeoing competitively, but he’s been riding and roping since he was knee high. His older brothers and sisters all rodeoed, and today, the 13-year-old from St. John, Kansas, is forging his own rodeo trail, competing in team roping with Mason Gibson, tie-down roping, and ribbon roping with Haddison Hatcher. Along with junior high rodeos, he has competed in Young Guns, the…

Meet the Member Annsley Vernon

story by Lily Weinacht Annsley Vernon of York, Nebraska, is the KJHSRA student vice president and barrel racing director, while also competing in every girls event except pole bending. The 14-year-old’s many events keep her on her toes each rodeo, particularly after a barrel run, where she puts her horse away before hustling back to write down the rest of the barrel times. Annsley admits that barrel racing isn’t a top favorite, but she’s enjoyed…

Meet the Member Taylor Raupe

story by Lily Weinacht Taylor Raupe is the 2018 KJHSRA Breakaway Roping Champion, a title she had no idea was within her grasp until her name was announced as the event leader going into the third round. She also won the 2018 year-end breakaway roping title in the KJRA, where she’s won the all-around in 2016 and 2017, and she’s starting out the 2019 rodeo season leading the breakaway roping in the KJHSRA. The 14-year-old…

Meet the Member Tally Wikum

story by Lily Weinacht “I feel like it’s just my passion—it’s what makes me happy. I put all other sports aside and just focused on rodeo, and it’s all worth it in the end,” says Tally Wikum. Since focusing on rodeo as her sole sport, the 14-year-old feels her competition has noticeably improved. She’s currently leading the goat tying in the KJHSRA, and also competes in pole bending, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and ribbon roping…