JUNIOR HIGH THSRA & TJHRA OFFICERS TRIP

Texas to Oklahoma

by Tilden Shofner, TJHRA Princess

Your THSRA and TJHRA officers have been kicking the dust up and burning some rubber as we’ve hit the road to promote our amazing association! Our schedules have been full of exciting opportunities to meet and learn more about some of our generous sponsors, represent at the largest Stock Shows and Rodeos in Texas, and attend the National High School Rodeo Association Mid-Winter Meeting, in Oklahoma City.

Our travels for the year began in Stephenville, TX where we were welcomed on a top-secret tour of the Classic Ropes Production Facility. At Classic they say, “Everybody’s got a core. It’s the quality of the core that determines who you are.”

Classic Ropes are built on a core with 20 years of innovation and expertise inside it. You can tell from the pride they take in all levels of hand manufacturing that it doesn’t stop there. And we didn’t stop there either!

Next, we traveled to Granbury for a tour of the Equibrand Headquarters and to learn more about the Equibrand Products Group. All the products from the brand line up of Martin Saddlery, Classic Equine, Classic Ropes, Rattler and Cashel are designed to help us train, compete and win. The warehouse aisles were like a maze as we wound around through towering shelves stocked with all the traditional favorites and innovative, new designs of products.

By lunch everyone had worked up an appetite, so we all made work of platters of chicken strips piled high at Babe’s Chicken Dinner House and learned more about the exciting new partnership between the WCRA, World Champions Rodeo Alliance, and the THSRA. We were able to ask lots of questions and Scott Davis, WCRA Executive, was happy to fill us in on all the details of the WCRA and the DY (youth division) of the WCRA and about how the Texas Trifecta will work at the THSRA State Finals (adding a $20,000 bonus to the finals!).

It was only lunch time, so we made tracks to the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. We wrapped up the afternoon in the exhibit hall meeting with Priefert and McCoy’s representatives. At the Preifert booth we were introduced to some new products and given a few demonstrations. Preifert has lots of exciting new products to help make work and practice much more manageable!

Now don’t think these trips are about all work and no play! We spent a little time checking out the vendors and adding a little Fort Worth style to our wardrobes! The evening wrapped up with a barbeque dinner and Bulls Night Out at the rodeo!

The next morning, we were on the road again! Before saying so long to Texas we made a trip to Resistol Hats in Garland. You know every one of us must have their signature hat or hats! We toured Resistol and learned about their handcrafted cowboy hats from fur to finish. I was even able to pick up a new favorite at their shop. Then we tipped our Resistols to Texas and headed for Oklahoma City!

By the end of day 2, we arrived in OKC with the National Mid-Winter Meeting in full swing. We hustled over to the National Cowboy Museum and Hall of Fame for the NHSRA President’s Reception. Many long-time supporters of the NHSRA were honored for their time and dedication to the association. The evening was first class from our four course meal to the surprise live entertainment by Easton Corbin! Easton handed over the mic and his guitar to our THSRA President, Garrett Talamantes! Garrett brought nothing less than the big Texas winning style we are known for!

Day 3 & 4 we were back to business. All the officers attend the Youth Advisory Committee Meeting and Luncheon. There members were invited to discuss and share ideas from our home states. We also learned more about services available to us as members of the NHSRA. Each officer attended a variety of meetings through out the rest of our trip. Meetings were held for all 20 of the committees that make up the NHSRA and covered finance, rules and bylaws, animal welfare, contestant entertainment and everything in between!

The evenings of each day wrapped up with fun activities and entertainment provided by the NHSRA. We enjoyed live music and shows. During a show Trevor Bentley and Ryan Ehlinger were great sports and volunteered. There was plenty of dancing and lots of laughing! It was fun to meet other members and hear about rodeo in their states.

On our final day a few of our officers had to hit the trail early and return to Texas for a weekend of region rodeos. The rest of us attended the MidWinter Meeting Banquet and Auction. This year will mark the 75th Anniversary of the NHSRA Finals. Lots exciting activities are planned to commemorate this historic event. 75 years and countless hours by hard working hearts and hands with a passion and dedication to youth and the sport of rodeo. What an honor it is to be a part of an organization that has a long-standing successful history!

2022-2023 JUNIOR HIGH STATE DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

NATIONAL DIRECTOR

JOHN SCHUENEMAN 979-268-4994 john.schueneman@gmail.com

PRESIDENT JUSTIN CLINTON 432-631-0300 jlquarterh@gmail.com

1st VICE PRESIDENT DAN SIMPTON 936-870-5779 dansimpton@yahoo.com

2nd VICE PRESIDENT CODY ODELL 936-641-4222 codyrachelodell@gmail.com

EXEC BOARD AT LARGE

DELEGATE 2 YEAR TERM: CHAD CURRINGTON (SERVING 2ND YEAR)

DELEGATE 2 YEAR TERM: LANDON EHLINGER (SERVING 2ND YEAR)

DELEGATE 2 YEAR TERM: DAVID FREEMAN (SERVING 2ND YEAR)

DELEGATE 1 YEAR TERM: CASEY ARMSTRONG

DELEGATE 1 YEAR TERM: BOBBY JACOBS

MARKETING

HOLLY DELAUNE MACI MEYER

SECRETARY ANNE DOLLERY 979-412-2551 texasjuniorhighrodeo@gmail.com

PRINCESS CORD DONNA ODOM, RACHEL ROBBINS, SARAH ROWLANDS

STATE DIRECTORS

Region I HEGAN LAMB 806-681-6557 heganlamb@yahoo.com

CLAY CAMERON 806-679-8132 claycameron09@yahoo.com

CW CATHEY 580-339-1469 cw.cathey11@gmail.com

Region II COY IRWIN 432-413-0976 coyirwin@hotmail.com

CADE SCHNEEMANN 432-940-5859 cadeschneemann@yahoo.com

KELLY WOOD 432-940-1136 woodrodeogirls@yahoo.com

Region III TOMMY DELUNA 940-733-5755 t.ldeluna@yahoo.com

COLT MUNDEN 817-629-1073 cmundenbull@hotmail.com

WESLEY WHITE 254-434-1367

Region IV CORY CONSTABLE 214-399-4539 coryconstable@hotmail.com

JASEY DAVID

TOBY ROGERS

Region V AMANDA MERRIWETHER 936-546-6076 amanda_merriwether@hotmail.com

JACK THOMPSON 936-414-1217 jakethompson.RT1@gmail.com

CODY ODELL 936-641-4222 codyrachelodell@gmail.com

Region VI

CRAIG BOYD 281-889-3492 cbradleyboyd@yahoo.com

YANCY JAMES 830-377-4017 yancy@tejasrodeo.com

ANN WENTZEL 832-967-7329 annwentzel2020@yahoo.com

Region VII DUSTIN FRANKUM 979-533-3675 dustinfrankum@yahoo.com

ROSS IVEY 361-455-6094 wrossivey@gmail.com

MORGAN KLEPAC 979-429-0483 morganklepac@gmail.com

Region VIII

ERIC DURBIN 830-480-2870 donalddericdurbin@yahoo.com

ANDREA WEEKLEY 210-844-4403 andiweekley@msn.com

CASS RINGLESTEIN 210-885-0902 cass.oasis@yahoo.com

Region IX

JARED ANDERSON BOBBY JACOBS 281-382-4316 bobbyjacobs1027@yahoo.com

BO WILLIAMS 979-220-5898 dwilliams@midsouthenergy.com

Region X JAYME EMMONS 254-366-8198 jaymeemons@gmail.com

TRACY SWAN 254-592-6406 tracywswan@gmail.com

RICCI JONES 325-456-3123 silerran@yahoo.com

STUDENT OFFICERS

PRESIDENT TREVOR BENTLEY

VICE PRESIDENT

RYAN EHLINGER

SECRETARY KINSLEY SCOTT

PRINCESS

TILDEN SHOFNER

This winter has been very busy and FUN! Your TJHRA & THSRA Student Officers visited Fort Worth in January, and met with some of our sponsors including Priefert, McCoys, Equibrand, Classic Ropes, WCRA and Resistol.

We toured the Resistol factory, and learned the tedious process of making hats. I never knew how much went into making our hats, especially straw hats! Classic Ropes walked us through their factory, and showed us how they make ropes, calf & goat strings. I can still smell the wax! Wow! It’s definitely a process! After we met with the sponsors, we were so blessed to be able to go to the Fort Worth Rodeo. It was an amazing performance!

The next morning we headed North to Oklahoma City to the NHSRA Mid Winter Conference and represented the great state of Texas! I made so many new friendships that will last a lifetime! There were kids all the way from Alaska and Hawaii there. I learned things like they have a hard time practicing in the winter in Alaska because of the weather, so they have all of their rodeos in the summer.

Finding goats for tying is another struggle there. It was interesting to hear the different styles and struggles with different regions of the country. It made me appreciate Texas that much more! While there, we went to a few meetings. These meetings talked to us about career paths, scholarships, and taught us leadership skills. Quanta Services does a lot for the NHSRA. If you haven’t looked into them, check them out on the NHSRA website.