By Michael Bielawski

The Vermont High School Rodeo Association is sending four Vermont junior high students to Des Moines, Iowa for the national competition happening this month. The junior high riders will leave this Wednesday.

“It teaches the kids all kinds of things,” said Kathy Nichols, a board member of the association and parent of one of the high school girls who will compete nationally next month. She spoke with VDC on the phone on Wednesday.

The event will take place from June 23 to June 30. Over a thousand students will compete as most states are sending at least four riders per event. In addition to U.S. students, others will represent parts of Canada, Australia, and Mexico.

In July five high school Vermonters will go to Wyoming for more national competition.

This competition in Iowa will allow for thousands of dollars in scholarships to be distributed to students of all different backgrounds.

She said that they must fund all these various programs and events, so they are always looking for new participants. The program only began as recently as 2020.

They are currently competing in two types of riding events a light rifle shooting event. The others are pole-bending and barrel racing.

More events are getting added to the Vermont program over time. There may soon be goat tying, which involves riding after the goat and then getting off to safely secure it.

Beth Davis, the Vermont national director for the Vermont High School Rodeo Association, also spoke with VDC on Wednesday. She said that this year “we’re seeing the most growth” that they have since they started.

She said that efforts to support the movement are growing as well.

“Tonight, we’re going to be at a local concert,” she said noting that the team will be running a small food venue to raise funds.

She said all of the money raised for the program goes back to the students in on form or another, such as scholarships for their education.

Local media coverage

The Herald picked up on the story and listed the girls who will be leaving next Wednesday. They are “Rianna [Bagalio], a Randolph Union Middle School eighth grader, will be joined by three other girls representing Vermont at the junior high level, Evelyn Mountford of Washington, Peyton Nichols of Worcester, and Brie Pikkarainen of Wallingford. Five high school competitors will also travel to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Wyoming in July.”

A dramatic rescue horse story

Bagalio will be riding Luna who is a rescue horse. According to The Herald’s report, there was a time just years ago when Luna’s future was much in question. The horse was scheduled to be slaughtered and there was at least one instance of a trainer asking that Bagalio still give up on Luna.

Bagalio switched trainers and eventually won the Junior High All Around Cowgirl in the Vermont High School Rodeo Association.

The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle

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