REGION VIII

BEN ELLIS

PO Box 1845 • Orange Grove, Texas 78372361.701.1886 • ben.ellis78@yahoo.com

JASON UNDERBRINK

520 Phillips Rd • Pleasanton, Texas 78064 210.854.7718 • jasonunderbrink@yahoo.com

STUDENT OFFICERS PRESIDENT - KATE MCNEIL VICE PRESIDENT - RYLEE DODSON SECRETARY - SYDNEY BLAIR

PO Box 787 • Asherton, TX 78837 830-999-3344 • tom@catarosaranch.com

SECRETARY - CELINA FETTY

3005 Santa Ana St. • Corpus Christi, Texas 78415 361.739.9858 • region8thsra@gmail.com

STATE DIRECTORS / REGION OFFICERS TOM AASBO

PO Box 787 • Asherton, TX 78837 830.999.3344 • tom@catarosaranch.com

PERFORMANCE REPORT

The Countdown Begins

By LYNLEY WRIGHT – Performance Reporter

The countdown to high school finals is under way, and in the up and coming weeks the top ten in each event will spend countless hours making sure they are prepared to represent their region in Abilene. For many contestants who are seniors, this will be the last time to compete in Texas High School State Finals. Then those who make it will go on to Nationals in July, striving to make Texas the World Champion Team for the 7th consecutive year in a row.

Those in Region 8 were proud to send off 35 seniors this year, with hopes that they will enjoy the next step of their lives as they go on to pursue what they have been called to do, whether that is college, trade school, or taking over the family business. Many of our seniors also ended the year as champions in their event, including Clay Tom Hurt in Steer Wrestling, Tess Underbrink in Pole Bending, and James Colvin in Tie Down Roping. The later two were also awarded the title of Region 8 AllAround Cowgirl and Cowboy.

Many of our seniors this year, myself included, have been with Region 8 since the start of their time in TJHRA or THSRA, and have made the region a second home. Now we are moving on to start our lives of adulthood, but will always remember and cherish the time spent with our friends in family in THSRA.

For me, Region 8 was an outlet to make lifelong friends, while also providing me with a way to learn about responsibility and accountability. I have had the chance to look back and see how much I’ve grown as a person, both in and out of the arena, and I have gained priceless knowledge from the people who I’ve encountered along the way.

It is because of the families I’ve met through Region 8 that have helped me decide on the path that I would like to take after school. That plan is to attend college to major in Criminal Justice with a double minor in Pre-Law and Political Science, in order to join Homeland Security or become a U.S. Marshal. As a graduating senior who has been with THSRA since 6th grade, my advice to those younger would be to take advantage of every opportunity that you can while you can. Try new events, enter big rodeos you’ve seen on TV, hop on every kind of horse that is available to you. Never let an opportunity to gain experience or better yourself pass you by. Maybe you’ll surprise yourself, and find you have a knack for roping calves, or meet a lifelong friend from another state. There’s opportunity to grow and learn all around. All it takes is seizing those kinds of chances when they’re available to you. It was a privilege to get to be the Region Reporter for Region 8 in the 20212022 rodeo season, and to have the chance to cover the happenings of my region. Good luck to those of you who will be attending state finals in June, and to those of you who go on to compete in Nationals this year. And to my fellow seniors out there, no matter if you know what your major is, or what school to go to, or even if you should pursue college, remember to “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”— Proverbs 16:3

TESS UNDERBRINK

photo by Jennings

CLAY TOM HURT

photo by Jennings

RILEY JO CHEATHEM OF REGION IX

by Ashtynn Carr

The Whataburger Whatakid is selected due to their ability to excel both in and out of the rodeo arena. Whataburger is proud to recognize a THSRA member from each of the ten Regions who truly upholds the title “Whatakid!” One of the nominees will be chosen at the State Final Rodeo in June as the Whatakid of the Year. In recognition of this accomplishment they will receive free Whataburgers for an entire year!

Congratulations to Riley Jo Cheathem! Riley Jo was nominated to be a “WHATAKID!” representative. Riley Jo is a member of the THSRA Region 9, where she resides in Edge, TX. Riley Jo is raised by her parents Kristy and Justin Cheathem. She also has two siblings, Shelbi Bayer (31) and Cash Cheathem (15).

Riley Jo started riding at the rip age of three. She soon began competing in play days and other small events. However, Riley Jo says that she did not start taking rodeo seriously until the fifth grade. Now as an 18 year-old senior in high school, Riley Jo competes in breakaway roping and goat tying.

There are two horses that Riley Jo mainly rides, Hemi and Junebug. Riley Jo ropes off of Hemi. Although he is a little older, Hemi has a young spirit! As Riley Jo put it, Hemi runs around, kicking like every five year-old. He might act young but Hemi still knows when to go into work mode. Especially in the breakaway events.

“He’s super honest,” Riley Jo said. “He’s really sweet in the breakaway. He is straight flat across the line and does everything you ask him to.”

Junebug is Riley Jo’s goat tying horse. Although their relationship is fairly new and the two struggled toward the beginning, it is a special one. In fact, Riley Jo said Junebug surprises her each time they step into the arena. Junebug is known to be a people pleaser and wants to help get the job done in the best way she can!

“I hit one goat in Decatur at a jackpot and that kind of scared me,” Riley Jo said. “When those goats step right, some horses just don’t move over. They’ll just hit them. I took her to the practice pen one time and showed her how to go around the goat. Ever since then, she has been working like a charm.”

When it comes to horsemanship, Riley Jo has a few people that she looks up to. But there are two people that have shaped her into the rider and athlete that she is today. Stephanie Sculla introduced Riley Jo to goat tying. She also taught Riley Jo how to make a horse do what you want, how to work with them.

On the other hand, Matt Garrett is a friend of Riley Jo’s father. He has been a part of Riley Jo’s life since she began riding almost 15 years ago. Riley Jo said that Matt is “big on horsemanship and taking care of your horses over everything”.

Outside of rodeo, Riley Jo has a variety of extracurriculars she is involved in. As a student at Normangee High School, Riley Jo is active in her school’s FFA chapter. Similarly, she is in the work program. So, Riley Jo leaves school around noon each day and goes to work at Stanley’s Feed Store in Iola, TX. Riley Jo was also involved in her school’s volleyball

and tennis programs during her freshman year. But she decided the only kind of athlete she wanted to be was a rodeo athlete! As the end of her high school career approaches, Riley Jo has made plans to continue her education and rodeo career. She signed with Southwest Texas Junior College in Uvalde, TX where she will continue to compete inside the arena on a full ride scholarship. Even though riley Jo’s mom, Kristy, does not have a rodeo background, she does have a small agriculture background as she exhibited livestock animals in high school. That being said Kristy, along with other members of the Cheathem family, loves everything that rodeo is and the people that are involved.

“What it teaches these kids as far taking care of their animals is the dedication of practicing and hardwork,” Kristy said. “You have success and you have failures. So it really humbles these kids too. Not everybody gets to win. You have to learn to deal with the failure.”

Kristy also noted that rodeo has significantly shaped Riley Jo into the individual that she is today. She feels as though the relationships that Riley Jo has formed with other contestants and rodeo athletes have aided in her success in and out of the arena. It’s a reminder that it’s “not all about rodeo” as Kristy puts it. “It might not pay in your checkbook,” Kristy said. “But it pays just in your life, all around it. It pays to be in.”