Local family returns from Junior NFR
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Photo Courtesy of RoxAne Hale
Jayna, Brody and Dexter Hale qualified for the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas last month during the Canadian Finals Rodeo and made their way back home last week.
The Hales were pinned against 145 kids from across North America as they gunned for Junior Nationals Finals Rodeo titles Dec. 7-11 at the Convention Centre in Las Vegas, Nev.
“It was a huge accomplishment for the kids just to qualify for the Junior NFR and we are super proud of them. The kids had some tough luck down there, but it will make them stronger because of it,” said their mother RoxAnne. “They have seen what is out there, both in stock and in riders, and know there will be a lot of hard work ahead of them to qualify again next year.
Dexter, 14, was the most successful, as he reached the short go in the senior saddle bronc.
Riding a bronc named Lucky in the first round, Dexter held onto one of the wildest horses of the weekend for most of the ride, but got bucked off a hair before the buzzer.
The stock was bigger and of higher quality than what he was accustomed to riding.
Needing a strong ride to separate himself from the 20 other competitors, Dexter held onto KC long enough to qualify him as one of the eight riders to return for the short go.
In the final round, he drew a black horse named Black Ice, but the stock won out and bucked Dexter off halfway through the ride. Only one kid held on for the required time in the short go.
Dexter will still be 14 when the calendar flips to 2018, meaning he is eligible to return to Vegas for the Junior NFR next year if he qualifies.
Jayna, 12, drew a horse named Ghost in her first ride of the junior bareback. Her bareback rigging slipped early in the ride and caused her to fall off despite a great effort. Of the 30 entries, only 15 stayed on their horse in the first round.
Two strong kicks from Pearlsnaps in Jayna’s second round was too much to handle for the local cowgirl, as she was bucked off in her final ride, missing the short go by 3.5 points.
Brody, 11, had the same luck as his sister, as he was bucked off Whiplash during his first round of the junior saddle bronc. Of the 20 competitors, none remained on their horse for the first round.
It was much of the same for his second ride, as he was bucked off Renegade — the highest ranked pony in the pen — a split second before the buzzer.
The three Hale siblings have begun brainstorming ways to get better next season with dreams of returning to Vegas to bring back some hardware.
They will have to wait out the winter filled with hockey and ringette games before they start competing again in May.