New Mexico High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA) Archives

Associations

New Mexico High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA)

Members

Meet the Member Lindsay Tibbs

story by Lindsay Humphrey As the heat turns up on the sport of breakaway roping nationwide, so does Lindsay Tibbs’ consistency in the event in the NMHSRA. She’s starting to get her skills honed it and really enjoying her time in the booming calf roping event. “I really love roping, but I also love my other events (barrels and poles) too, but breakaway is my favorite,” said the 16-year-old. “All the other events rely heavily…

Meet the Member Payton McNiel

story by Lindsay Humphrey “I’ve tried other events, but I really like barrel racing. It’s where my heart is,” said 17-year-old Payton McNiel. “I’d rather work barrels on young horses all the time than breakaway rope for an hour.” Three barrels equals three chances for success in Payton’s mind. The only variables she focuses on in her favorite event have minds of their own but synch up perfectly when they barrel down the alley together.…

Meet the Member Sterlin Mitchell

story by Lindsay Humphrey When Sterlin Mitchell heard his named called as the Rookie All-Around Cowboy at the 2020 National High School Finals Rodeo, he was more than surprised. “I was just standing down with the other kids at the awards and I didn’t think anything of it when they started announcing the all-around awards. When they announced my name, I had no idea it was coming,” said the 15-year-old. The first time Sterlin was…

Meet the Member Shacie Marr

story by Lindsay Humphrey Coming out of the fall rodeo season, Shacie Marr was leading the barrel racing. However, she wasn’t doing quite as well in her other events: poles, goat tying, team roping and breakaway. “I was planning to come back from the fall and do better. My breakaway horse got hurt last semester, so I was using my sister’s horse,” said the Tularosa, New Mexico, cowgirl. As the reigning state champion barrel racer,…

Meet the Member Sage Bennett

story by Lindsay Humphrey “We didn’t realize the last rodeo of the fall season in Artesia would be my very last high school rodeo ever,” said Sage Bennett from Capitan, New Mexico. Sage managed to leave it all out in Artesia’s arena by not only catching her calf both days in the breakaway and winning both rounds, but she also won the average. “I usually do well in the first round and then freak myself…

Meet the Member Makayla Henson

story by Lindsay King No matter the number of steps propelling her backward, Makayla Henson knows the step forward will always be bigger. It’s this sage advice that has gotten the 16-year-old from Belen, New Mexico, through the highs and lows of both life and rodeo. “My parents (Abe and Christine) competed in rodeo when they were younger, so it was in my blood. They took a break from it for a bit and when…

Meet the Member Natalie Larabee

story by Lindsay King At 16 years old, Natalie Larabee is the youngest of four – Emily, 25, Morgan, 20, and Lindsey, 21. She’s also the only one of her siblings who got serious about rodeo. “When I was little I can remember always going to small rodeos with my family. My dad has always owned horses and roped a little, but nobody in my family has ever competed at the level that I do.…

Meet the Member Hadlee Oder

story by Lindsay King Hadlee Oder was born with a rope in his hands and he still hasn’t put it down. That’s no matter for this NMHSRA swap-end team roper with a side hustle in the calf roping, he wouldn’t want it any other way. Team roping is his favorite event, hands down. “It’s just always something I’ve enjoyed a little more. I think the heeling part is the most fun. I’ve always done it…

Meet the Member Gage Bruhn

story by Lindsay King Shooting rifles and roping steers: two things Gage Bruhn has done his entire life. Both are events he competes in with the NMHSRA. This Logan, New Mexico, native grew up on a ranch riding, roping and shooting rifles. “Ever since I first started competing in the sixth grade, I don’t think I have missed a rodeo since then,” said the high school senior. “We run a cattle ranch with black Angus…

Meet the Member Siera Bradford-Green

story by Lindsay King A helicopter touched down in the center of a roping pen near Quemado, New Mexico, on Sept. 19, 2019. It’s passenger? 18-year-old Siera Bradford-Green. The roper was awake and alert, but she was strapped to a stretcher and flown to a hospital in Albuquerque. “I don’t remember what happened, but my family said I was uncinching my horse in the box when something spooked him,” said the high school senior. A…

Meet the Member Trey Mitchel

story by Lindsay King During the NHSFR Trey Mitchell was leading the all-around race prior to hitting the short round. He earned his right for a third trip to nationals by winning the reined cow horse and taking reserve in the cutting at the NMHSRA state finals this past summer. “I was leading the state in the cow horse and sitting second in the cutting, I just had to make clean runs to keep my…

Meet the Member Clay Garley

story by Lindsay King What started out as a four-event season, turned into two and thankfully so. “This last year I just rode bulls and team roped in the second semester. I roped calves and rode saddle broncs in the first semester. I just wanted to hone-in my focus on two events and I didn’t think that I had a bright future in the saddle broncs,” said Clay Garley from Las Lunas, New Mexico. “I…