Some people don’t know that high school rodeo is a sport at San Benito High School. Team members represent San Benito County all over California, traveling to Paso Robles, King City, Salinas, Clovis, Oakdale, Plymouth, and Bishop. Students have to maintain a 2.0 GPA and meet the eligibility requirements a sport has.

      Blair Strone, Cash Robinson, Brody Sans, Wyatt Naccarato, Blair Brown, Tawne Haynish, Megan Ford and Tommy Ford are all involved in High School Rodeo. San Benito High is part of District 4 which includes San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Benito, Monterey, Contra Costa, Alameda, and San Francisco. There 40 people in District Four. There are nine districts in the state of California and many other districts in other states.

       All around the United States high schools are competing to make it to state finals and nationals. The top five in all the districts for each event qualify to go to state finals in Bishop at the end of the year. If you are top three at state in an event you qualify for Nations. Nationals are held in Wyoming.

      On October 7-9 the rodeo team traveled to Oakdale, California for the second rodeo of the year. Everyone got the chance to do their best and compete in two rounds over two days.  

     Cash Robinson a sophomore covered his bull, meaning he rode for the full eight seconds on the first go.

   Tommy Ford, a sophomore, is a bareback rider who said, “I like getting bucked off because I want to fly like Superman.”

    Blair Stone a junior participated in Goat Tying and Breakaway Roping. In the first go she tied a 9.8 and in the second go tied a 9.6. Being consistent got her good points in the district. In Breakaway Stone caught the first go with a 3.6 and second go 4.9. She said, “I really want to make it to Nationals this year.”

    Megan Ford, a senior, rides at least four times a week to keep her horse in shape. Ford’s events include barrels, poles, goats, breakaway and team roping. She said she has been riding since she was 2 or 3. At the Oakdale Rodeo, she ran a 17.4 in barrels the first go and got a 17.7 the second go. On poles she had some tough luck knocking down one each go, which penalizes her time with five seconds added on. Ford caught her calf the first go with a time of 6.6 seconds.

    Ford said “It would be my dream to make it to the NFR in barrels.” 

   Blair Brown was successful in catching her calf in one out of two goes.

    Tawne Haynish, a senior, competes in barrels, poles and is a beginner at breakaway. She placed third in Barrels in her district running a 17.1 the first go and a 17.3 the second go. She caught her first calf in the second go with a time of 6.9.

       She said “It’s my senior year and I plan on doing good and having a fun time while doing it.”