Local talent got off to a fast start Thursday at the Wyoming High School State Finals Rodeo in Douglas.
Kade Greer, Linzee Adamson, Lexi Hamm and Casey Beck all won events at the Wyoming State Fairgrounds on Thursday in the first two performances of the rodeo, which continues through Saturday.
Greer, a Gillette steer wrestler, took his livestock draw and threw it to the ground in just 9.65 seconds to take the early lead in the first go-round. Blare Romsa of Laramie turned in a second-place performance at 10.33 seconds. Greer’s brother Gage finished third.
Adamson, who has an Arvada address but rodeos for the Gillette High School Rodeo Club, leads the barrel racing event with a time of 17.581 seconds. She edged another racer from the Razor City, Sheyenne Jacobson, who finished just .008 seconds behind. Rozet cowgirl Casey Rae Reimler gave northeast Wyoming three of the top four times with a fourth-place run at 17.868.
Another Rozet cowgirl finished first in the girls cutting. Hamm leads with 146 points, just two points ahead of Faith Carson of Arvada.
Beck also edged out an Arvada native in the boys cutting. The Gillette cowboy scored 143 points to Denton Carson’s 140.
Several other cowboys and cowgirls with Gillette ties had meaningful performances on Thursday — some keeping their shot at qualifying for Wyoming’s team at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs alive. Gillette roper Amy Thrush finished fifth in the breakaway roping at 3.65 seconds. Trase Johnson, also of Gillette, finished third in the tie-down roping with a run of 12.06 seconds.
The top four cowboys and cowgirls in year-end points in each event will advance to the NHSFR.
The State Finals Rodeo continues Friday with performances at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., and will finish with a final round at 10 a.m. Saturday, featuring the top 20 in the average.
Wyoming’s team in the NHSFR will be announced at an awards banquet at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.