Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association (LJHSRA) Archives

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Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association (LJHSRA)

Phone: 337-540-4623
Email: stephanied.rodrigue@gmail.com

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Members

Meet the Member Damien Lavery

story by Michele Toberer Damien Lavery is enjoying his third year with the Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association and is working hard to achieve his goals of qualifying for the 2019 NJHSFR while also trying to earn a spot on the Hicks High School A-B Honor Roll. Damien is an eighth-grader at the school, and excels in his favorite subject, math, “It’s easy for me to understand, I really like math and my teacher…

Meet the Member Wyatt Risinger

story by Michele Toberer Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association rookie, Wyatt Risinger is fully enjoying his first year in rodeo. Starting out in the association as a Junction City High School eighth-grader, he has not only already gained friends that feel like family but has developed a love for a sport that has changed the plans for his future. Wyatt lives in Spearsville, Louisiana with his parents, Brad and Alicia Risinger, and he has…

Meet the Member Ava Nunez

story by Michele Toberer Excelling in all that she does, cowgirl Ava Nunez of Grand Lake, Louisiana is excitedly taking on the competition of the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association as a rookie sixth-grader. Although the 11-year-old cowgirl has already had quite a bit of success in the rodeo arena as she competed in other youth rodeo associations; being a part of the LJHSRA is giving her new goals to focus on and the determined…

Meet the Member Cougar Racca

story by Michele Toberer “Cougar is a spunky little 12-year-old that follows by his name, he’s determined and passionate, and once he showed interest in rodeo, he just jumped in and has really done well. He’s a typical little rodeo cowboy,” says mom, Kendal Henry of the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association rookie. The sixth-grader competes in breakaway roping, ribbon roping, and goat tying in the LJHSRA, and has had quite a bit of success…

Meet the Member Katie Schlang

story by Michele Toberer It was quite ironic that at 8-years-old, Katie Schlang found her very first horse, a little white and roan paint named Denver, after moving to Lake Charles Louisiana from a suburb of Denver, Colorado. Denver, a jumper pony that was full of personality, was a promise-fulfilled from Katie’s architect father, Mark, who moved his family to Louisiana to be with him as he worked on the completion of the Golden Nugget…

Meet the Member Mackenzie Floyed

story by Michele Toberer “I love the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association because of my friends. In the long run, we are all here competing against one another and we’re all trying to beat everyone there, but when your friend wins, you’re still happy for them, you’re not mad about it,” says Mackenzie Floyed of Ville Platte, Louisiana. The 12-year-old rodeo competitor has chosen rodeo over other sports she’s been involved in because everyone supports…

Meet the Member CJ Covalt

story by Michele Toberer With just one season of competition in the Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association under his belt, CJ Covalt was able to win one of the most coveted top-10 world champion buckles to adorn it at the National Junior High Finals Rodeo this June. CJ joined the LJHRA as an 8th grader and began competing in tie-down roping and ribbon roping with his partner Lexi Lege, roping his way to not…

Meet the Member Jaden Thomas

story by Michele Toberer With just a glance around Jaden Thomas’ DeRidder, Louisiana home you will see the signs of a champion. There are buckle cases bursting with over 150 trophy buckles and a total of 21 trophy saddles, all earned in the past 8 years, but the saddle and buckle that stand above the rest in her eyes are the ones she just earned as the 2018 Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association All-Around Cowgirl.…

Meet the Members Luke & Grace Dubois

story by Michele Toberer Luke Dubois has been taking on rodeo with a focus and determination like never before; despite the diagnosis he received in December that he has a low-grade glioma brain stem tumor, he has chosen to go full-steam ahead, doing everything he normally would do and more, until something prevents him from being able to. This drive to make the most of every rodeo opportunity has resulted in incredible results for the…

Meet the Member Josie Conner

story by Michele Toberer Setting goals and achieving them has been a significant part of Louisiana cowgirl, Josie Conner’s life; and she can now check obtaining a world champion title off her goal list. The 14-year-old, homeschooled, 8th-grader is basking in the glow of her newly acquired National Junior High Champion Breakaway Roper buckle that she just earned in Huron, South Dakota. Josie came to the NJHSFR with confidence after recently being crowned the 2018…

Meet the Member Olivia Thibodeaux

story by Michele Toberer With a 2014 National Little Britches Rodeo Association World Champion Pole Bending buckle already on her belt, Olivia Thibodeaux is no stranger to what it takes to win. At just 12 years old, winning in rodeo is something that she has already experienced many times, yet she spends hours every week preparing to repeat. When Olivia was just 5 years old, she and her family traveled to Wyoming to watch her…

Meet the Member Will Thibodeaux

story by Michele Toberer “I’m gunning for a national title this year. I know there may be somebody that has put more work in than me, but I’m at least gonna give them a run. I might crash and burn, but I’m for sure gonna give it all I can,” declares Elmer, Louisiana cowboy, Will Thibodeaux. Will is an 8th grade Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association member that was born and raised in Elmer,…