Meet the Member Trip Saulsberry

September 28, 2023

story by Julie Carter Cowboying at the ranch comes natural for Trip Saulsberry, but the arena part of the job didn’t start until he was 9 years old. When he decided he wanted to learn to rope, his dad, Todd, was all in and the journey began. “He told me he’d help find me good calves and good horses,” recalled Trip, explaining that his dad had been a PRCA calf roper and knew how important…

September 1, 2023

The petite blonde Hobbs, NM cowgirl Anistyn (Ani) Abel took the Perry, GA NJHFR by storm when she roped her way to a 2023 Reserve Champion Breakaway Roping title (8.07 seconds on three) and fell third in line for the All-Around title. Ani arrived in Georgia qualified in Ribbon Roping, Goat Tying and Breakaway Roping. She made the short go in the latter two events, landing 17th in the nation in the Goat Tying. Multi-event…

Meet the Member Shae Rios

August 3, 2023

story by Julie Carter Shae Rios is an all-around teenager as far as life in and out of the rodeo arena goes. She has spent her junior high years working five rodeo events, riding multiple horses and at the same time participating in softball, volleyball, choir and band. Shae won her first saddle at the Gallup NMJH rodeo in April where she won the average in the Breakaway, Barrel Racing and Pole Bending as well…

Meet the Member Slade Thompson

May 18, 2023

story by Julie Carter When you’re not naturally gifted with talent, you make it look like you are with try. Portales Junior High rough stock rider, roper and an all-around “cool” kind of guy Slade Thompson drives that point home with every rodeo he enters. Slade puts the “all” in All-Around cowboy by working 5 and sometimes 6 Junior High Rodeo events. On the rough stock end, he enters Bull riding, Steer Saddle Bronc and…

Meet the Member Clair Biebelle

May 2, 2023

story by Julie Carter She’s a small, determined package of rodeo passion that wears her confidence quietly both in and out of the arena. The San Lorenzo, NM 8th grader, Clair Biebelle, can back it all up with results that consistently put her at the top of the leaderboard. Clair has won 10 All-Around saddles in a variety of junior rodeo competitions, but three of those came from her efforts in the New Mexico Junior…

Meet the Member Zoey Cline

January 19, 2023

story by Lindsay Humphrey No stranger to junior high nationals, Zoey Cline from Corona, New Mexico, is optimistic she can make a third appearance on that stage next summer. “My sixth and seventh grade year, I won state in the light rifle shooting,” said the 14-year-old. “I think it would be cool if I could win that three years in a row.” Along with light rifle, Zoey’s also competed in poles and ribbon roping at…

Meet the Member Reno Scribner

August 18, 2022

Story by Siri Stevens Reno Scribner is the 2022 Tie Down NJHFR Champion. The 14-year-old is from Edgewood, New Mexico, a small town between Albuquerque and Moriarty. Reno just started competing last year, partially due to Covid. “My sixth-grade year was cancelled and I roped in jack pots. I was doing it for fun. The year I made Nationals, I went to Des Moines. I saw it was competitive and that’s when I started taking…

Meet the Member Cooper Young

July 21, 2022

story by Lindsay Humphrey A trophy saddle won at 4 years old was the hook, line and sinker Cooper Young needed to make rodeo his number one priority. It’s one of Cooper’s earliest memories of the sport, but its stuck with him for the last 10 years probably because he’s still chasing that feeling. “At the time I had never won anything and when I got that saddle it just made me want to rodeo…

Meet the Member Cylee Jo Roberts

March 17, 2022

story by Lindsay Humphrey “She has a big heart and big personality,” said Cylee Jo Roberts’ mom, Chancie. Described as an introverted extrovert, 11-year-old Cylee Jo is the middle sibling of 8-year-old Catch and Caydence who’s 13. “I’ve been riding on my own since I was 2 years old,” Cylee Jo said who’s from Las Cruces, New Mexico. “My sister was already doing rodeo, so I was going along with her. That’s when I first…

Meet the Member Logan Martinez

February 24, 2022

story by Lindsay Humphrey Sharp-shooter Logan Martinez is in his first, and final, year with the NMJHSRA but that doesn’t keep him from setting some big goals for himself. “I want to try to rank first in the state going into nationals, so win the year end award,” said the eighth-grade light rifle competitor. “And then place in the top 20 at nationals. I think I can do it if I just practice every day…

Meet the Member Noah Gonzales

January 13, 2022

story by Lindsay Humphrey A membership with the Navajo Nation Rodeo Association was the ideal birthday present for 14-year-old Noah Gonzales of the Isleta Tribe. He’s set his sights on making the Indian National Finals Rodeo next fall. But first, he has some ground to cover in his final season with the NMJHSRA. “I was the state champion bull rider last year, and I’d like to do that again this year. I have some young,…

Meet the Member: Avery Henard

November 1, 2021

Story by Lindsay Humphrey Now that the NMJHSRA has added rodeos to the fall lineup and opened the association up to fifth graders, Avery Henard is one of many who will get to compete alongside her sibling before high school rodeo. At 13 years old, this is Avery’s final NMJHSRA season, but it will be the first for her 11-year-old sister, Kolbi. “I really like that we’ll get to compete in more rodeos for our…