Punching their ticket

Mariano, Yazzie, Jodie qualify for National High School Finals

RED ROCK PARK

It was not hard identifying some of the top rodeo athletes in the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association over the Memorial Day weekend.

With national bids up for grabs at the NMHSRA state finals, Vinell Mariano, Rooster Yazzie and Matthew Jodie put their best foot forward by winning the average race in their respective events.

Jodie was a double winner as he won both the steer-wrestling and team-roping average races. The Crownpoint sophomore paired up with Yazzie in the team roping while Mariano claimed the bull-riding crown during the five-day event at Red Rock Park.

With a productive showing, those three cowboys punched their ticket to the National High School Finals Rodeo, which is scheduled for July 16-22 at the CAM-PLEX Event Facility in Gillette, Wyoming.

“I had a good weekend,” Jodie said. “I just stayed consistent throughout the finals.”

In the steer-wrestling event, Jodie picked up a pair of first place checks in the first two rounds with runs of 8.18 and 7.22 seconds. In the short round, the Crownpoint cowboy finished third and added 38 points to his year-end standings with 101 points.

“I just wanted to catch my steers and get some points so that I could stay in front of the people behind me,” said Jodie, who earned his first bid to nationals.

Yazzie, who finished as the reserve champion in the steer-wrestling event with 126 points, had a bad opening draw but for the next two rounds he held his own as he finished second to Jodie in the second round while winning the short round with a 5.22 run.

“I didn’t do so well to start the finals but I gave it my best shot,” said Yazzie, who earned his second qualification for nationals.

The Tohatchi High junior finished six points shy of overtaking event leader Brady Reanu, who finished with 132 points.

“Last year I finished second too but I can’t wait to go back to nationals,” Yazzie said.

At nationals last year, Yazzie turned in a seven-second run in the opening round. In the next round, however, he recorded a no time.

“I had a lot of fun and I expect the competition level to be pretty high again,” he said.

Mariano, meanwhile, added 10 points to his year-end total and finished third overall with 53 points. Last year he finished seventh overall and missed nationals.

In the opening round he scored the rodeo’s best score with 70 points. In the following round he was one second short of earning a score.

“I did pretty good at my other (high school) rodeos but this was my best rodeo ever,” the Rehoboth junior said.

As for going to nationals, Mariano said he’s looking forward to represent the Navajo Nation and New Mexico rodeo team.

“This is such an honor,” he said. “It’s going to be fun and exciting. I get a chance to get on a lot of different bulls and I just hope that I can prove myself.

---