At this year’s South Dakota High School Rodeo state finals, held June 13-15 at Fort Pierre, a new group of champions earned the right to represent South Dakota later this month at the national finals.
The top 15 contestants from each event had one last chance to earn their spot on the team going to the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) in Rock Springs, Wyoming. The top four overall point-earners from the season earned trips to the national rodeo, set to take place later this month on July 14-20.
Among the national qualifiers for goat tying is recent Wessington Springs High School graduate, Raylee Fagerhaug. She quickly moved her way up the standings to secure herself a national qualifying spot in the event after earning 55.5 points for a fourth-place finish.
Along with Fagerhaug, other members who earned the chance to represent South Dakota in the goat tying event at the NHSFR are Tierney Breen (Woonsocket), 86 points; Mataya Ward (Fruitdale), 76.5 points; Bailey Verhulst (Reva), 60.5 points.