REGION 2’S LUCY RICHARDS NAMED ALL AROUND COWGIRL Region II

By KAITLEE WYATT – Performance Reporter

The 2023 THSRA State Finals proved to be a week full of excitement for Lucy Richards

Not only did she come out of the finals as the 2023 All Around Cowgirl, but her horse Tweeter was also named Top Horse of the week. The Richards family has owned Tweeter for 6 years. Lucy said, “Tweeter has a great personality. He can open gates and let his favorite friends out.” Over the years, Tweeter has been a family project, training him to help Lucy in the breakaway roping and goat tying. Richards, who lives in Hereford, Texas just completed her junior year of high school. She will be heading to Nationals in Gillette, Wyoming in not just one event, but two. Lucy ended the THSRA season as the Reserve State Champion goat tyer and was third in the breakaway roping. As she prepares for Nationals, Lucy states that her game plan is to “focus on one event at a time, trust the process, and believe in my abilities.”

When asked what it felt like when she realized she qualified for Nationals, Lucy said, “When I secured my spot for nationals in the breakaway it was amazing, but I did not have much time to process it because I had to go tie goats. After both events were over and I had qualified for nationals in both, I was so excited.”

Along with Lucy Richards, fellow goat tyers, Jessi Everett and Zaran Kirkpatrick, will also be making the trip to Gillette in July. Kirkpatrick from Post, Texas, credits her friends as her biggest influences throughout her high school rodeo career. She states, “They are always there no matter what, to help push and support me to be better inside, and outside the arena.” Jessi Everett, a senior from Tarzan, Texas, turned in a smoking run of 6.63 sec- onds in round two, securing her spot in the short round during the finals. She ended her week in Abilene third in the average and punched her ticket for her final trip to Gillette, Wyoming. Jessi will be attending Texas Tech University in the fall and will be a member of the Red Raider rodeo team, competing in goat tying and breakaway roping. When asked what she will miss the most about the Texas High School Rodeo, Everett responded, “My family! That’s really what region rodeos are: a family. We are all on the same team. We love each other and see everyone at their best and worst. The community of high school rodeo is incomparable to any other.”

Fellow National qualifier, Allie Murphy a senior from Borden County, says that her 8-year-old barrel horse Chico is a big, gentle giant, but he is an even bigger blessing. Murphy clocked a blazing 16.911 second run in the first round on Chico at the 2023 THSRA State Finals. Allie plans to attend South Plains College on a rodeo scholarship and will be pursuing a degree in animal science.

The boys of Region 2 could not let the girls head to Wyoming alone. Region 2 All-Around Cowboy and recent high school graduate, Benny Proffitt of Canadian, Texas, will be making another trip to the National Finals. Benny competed at the State Finals in tie down roping, steer wrestling, and saddle bronc riding. On his first-round ride, Proffitt had the Region 2 section on their feet with his 80-point ride to take second in the round. He also covered his horse in the short go which helped him clench his spot to Nationals one final time. Payton Blackmon from Andrews, Texas will be competing at Nationals in the bareback riding. Blackmon covered all three of his horses at the State Finals, ending up third in the average.

Region 2 also had three athletes qualify for the National Junior High Rodeo Finals in Perry, Georgia. Jordan Alexander in chute dogging, Jessie McElwee in goat tying, and Chance Anderson in saddle bronc steer riding.

Region 2 wishes the best of luck and safe travels to all our athletes competing at the national level!

After many years of dedication and hard work, Region 2 Secretary, Jody McElroy, and President, Brent Charlesworth both announced their retirement. The parents and rodeo athletes would like to thank both McElroy and Charlesworth for the time and effort spent making Region 2 “Tougher than EVER” over the years.