FORT PIERRE – Three Pierre-area cowgirls and cowboys qualified for the national finals in Cutting and Reined Cow Horse Wednesday at the South Dakota High School Finals Rodeo at the Stanley County Fairgrounds.
Layni Stevens of St. Lawrence and T.F. Riggs High School in Pierre won the Girls Cutting event after a fifth-place finish in 2021. Stevens was second in the state event average, but finished just ahead overall due to points accumulated during rodeos leading up to the state event.
Pierre’s Ryen Sheppick qualified for the national event in Reined Cow Horse. Sheppick had the second most total points and was third in the state event in average.
Paden Belkham of Blunt finished third in Boys Cutting after having the third-best average in three runs in the state rodeo.
Top four finishers in each event qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo, which will be held July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyoming.
After two full performances on Thursday and Friday, the short go is scheduled for Saturday. Click on the link below for updated results.
2022 National High School Finals Rodeo Qualifiers & Central SD Results
Boys Cutting
1 Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche
2 Trey Fuller, Faith
3 Paden Belkham, Blunt
4 Cody Dirkes, Hermosa
5 Rhone Schmidt, White River
8 Garret Phillips, Winner
10 Hazin Schmidt, White River
Girls Cutting
1 Layni Stevens, St. Lawrence
2 Tava Sexton, Whitewood
3 Macy Schiley, Meadow
4 Landry Haugen, Sturgis
8 Piper Hanson, Burke
15 Ryen Sheppick, Pierre
16 Sydney Stahl, Kimball
19 Charly Etzkorn, Eagle Butte
Reined Cow Horse
1 Dallie Lawrence, Alzada, MT
2 Ryen Sheppick, Pierre
3 Landry Haugen, Sturgis
4 Chase Brunsch, Pine Ridge
5 Garret Phillips, Winner
7 Layni Stevens, St. Lawrence
12 Rhone Schmidt, White River
15 Paden Belkham, Blunt
Complete SD High School Finals Rodeo Results
