REGION VI

CLAY OHRT

2462 Berger Road • Victoria, Texas 77905 361.571.1040 • wendyohrt@hotmail.com

PRESIDENT - DAVID FREEMAN

1039 Mockingbird Lane • Eagle Lake, TX 77434 832.221.1253 • chlfreeman@yahoo.com

TOMMY OHRT

8971 Lower Mission Valley Rd • Victoria, TX 77905 361.550.5202 • t07cattle@yahoo.com

SECRETARY - ANNE DOLLERY

P.O. BOX 866 • Caldwell, Texas 77836 936.412.2551 • region6thsra@gmail.com

STUDENT OFFICERS

STATE DIRECTORS PRESIDENT - BRAYDEN BLOEMER VICE PRESIDENT - SKYLAR TORR SECRETARY - BLAINE BURLESON

DAVID FREEMAN

1039 Mockingbird Lane • Eagle Lake, TX 77434 832.221.1253 • chlfreeman@yahoo.com

PERFORMANCE REPORT

By BARRETT SHELTON – Performance Reporter

Team Texas wins yet another team national title for the seventh year in a row! Along with the team title Texas is also coming home with the tie down title won by Tyler Calhoun, John Crimber winning the Bull Riding, and Riley Farris winning the girls cutting.

As the 2022 National High School Rodeo Finals came to an end on the 23 of July, some contestants come home with broken hearts, while others came home with hearts full of an experience that they will never forget. “Nationals has always been fun for me. It’s a great atmosphere and most of the people are really nice. Nationals is a great experience for everyone involved,” says Devin Young. As High School Nationals marks the end of the 2021-2022 rodeo season it also marks that the 2022-2023 rodeo season is starting back up. With many talented seniors that made their last ride for their high school career it has made new room for the incoming freshman class who are full of talent.

Two freshmen to keep an eye on are fresh from their appearance at the National Junior High Rodeo Finals. Mia Janosky competed in pole bending and ended up with the high honor of her horse being chosen as horse of the year. Sadie Patterson also

WAY TO GO TEAM TEXAS

MIA JANOSKY

photo by Acentric Rodeo

SOPHIA ZIMMERMANN

photo by Jennings

made a NJHRF appearance in the goat tying. These are just two of the many talented freshman who will be hitting the leaderboards soon.

Also, a special shoutout to Sophia Zimmermann who not only was crowned Miss THSRA in Abilene this year, but placed as the 2nd Runner Up in the NHSRA Queens contest. She does such a great job representing Region VI and Texas!

Farm & Ranch Family

The folks at McCoy’s Building Supply understand that it takes a lot of hard work and the whole family pitching in to get things done on a farm or ranch. That’s why we’d like to take some time out to salute Texas High School Rodeo Association families who are farmers and ranchers. In our monthly Farm & Ranch Family Spotlight, we’ll feature one family, sharing their story of how they work together as a family to make their farm or ranch successful. The spotlight will run for 10 months; each month will feature a different Region. Each Regional McCoy’s Farm and Ranch Family will receive a $100 McCoy’s Gift Card. The McCoy’s Farm and Ranch Family of the Year will receive a $500 McCoy’s Gift Card and will be announced at the 2023 THSRA State Finals.

The Frizzell Family of Region II

by Laramie Wedemeyer

Congratulations to the Frizzell family of Sterling City, TX for being named this month’s McCoy’s Farm and Ranch Family! The Frizzell’s have owned and operated the 4F Frizzell Ranch for 18 years now, but their roots have been tied to the hard work of the ranching industry for generations.

Colby Frizzell and his wife Keli have a son, Kelby, and a daughter, Kaylyn, who compete in Region II. Kelby is a junior in high school, competing in the team roping and calf roping. Kaylyn is an eighth grader in junior high, competing in team roping, ribbon roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, and goat tying.

Ranching is a way of life not many get to experience nowadays but it is something that Colby and Keli were both raised into and wanted to raise their kids in. “Colby grew up knowing he wanted to lease country, ride good horses, and grow a heard of his own stock,” said Keli. “He leased his first ranch at 16.” Eventually a family was added to the picture when the couple got married in 2006. They knew that this was the way of life they wanted to start their family in and that they did. Now 4F Frizzell Ranch operates on 55,000 acres, a lot of it being lease country.

Over time, many familyowned and operated businesses have commercialized in the agriculture industry. The Frizzell family believes that the more the family itself stays in the operation of the farm or ranch, then the more connected to the industry they will be, and the more they will stay in touch with the root of agriculture.

Being raised in the ranching industry has its highs and lows. It takes a strong family to continue the labor, work, and responsibilities. The Frizzell family is one of many that strives to continue in their role of working the land and livestock.

“Generation after generation, raised on the land, respecting the land, and choosing to help feed the world day by day is how our family strives to keep agriculture at a grassroots level and from being over-commercialized,” said Keli.

Their ranch operation ranges from cattle to horses, sheep, goats and hunting. This is not a one person job and takes the entire family pitching in every day to keep their business up and running. “We’re a team at the end of the day and it takes each of us willing to help in any area needed,” said Keli. “No matter the task we’re willing to work together.”

The day-to-day responsibilities include feeding horses in the morning and checking livestock, windmills, water, and mineral. “If someone has trouble on different parts of the ranch, we go work on windmills, fence or equipment,” said Colby.

The family builds pens when needed and does brush control to keep the operation running smoothly. If all goes well during the day, they meet at the arena in the afternoon to ride young horses, rope and practice for the rodeos.

While a lot of time and hard work go into the ranching lifestyle, school is a priority for the Frizzell kids. Kelby and Kaylyn are both homeschooled but are always ready to ride horses when they are done. Sometimes their riding time must be sacrificed though to feed cows, check waters or even break ice, depending on the time of the year.

Colby and Keli making the decision to choose this way of life years ago has reflected in their kid’s lives and the way they work for things.

Colby and Keli said they wanted to pass along traits of honesty, work ethic, faith, and family to their kids and for them to know that “you can take those things to work with you when you do what we do. We hope they learn life isn’t always easy but when you work hard and stand by

what’s right, good things happen.”

Being raised in a ranching family and competing in the Texas High School Rodeo Association takes a lot of hard work and dedication. Work ethic is something you must have to be successful, said Kelby.

Kaylyn emphasized that the “Texas Junior High Rodeo Association and ranching have taught me about working hard and to love what I do and who I do it with. I love getting to work cows with my family and even though it’s work, it’s fun too. Rodeo is the same, it takes lots of practice and hard work, but you get to do it with friends and family, and I love that.”

The Frizzell family expressed that their involvement with TJHRA and THSRA keeps them grounded and tied to their roots. “To us, THSRA is an extension of what we do daily,” said Keli.

Being chosen as the McCoy’s Farm and Ranch family was very humbling and an honor to the family since they depend on the company and shop locally in San Angelo, Texas for equipment, parts and other necessities for their ranch.

“When you walk into a McCoy’s you feel a close, hardworking, family-filled environment. To be chosen as the Region II McCoy’s Farm and Ranch Family is a great honor and extremely special to us as a family.”