Some little boys and girls play cowboys and indians for fun.
Some don't have to play.
Kirbee Spire and Payden Dawson are the real deal and recently earned awards to prove it.
Dawson, a sixth grader at Maryville Middle School, recently qualified for the Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo in Gallup, N.M. from June 28 through July 4.
There he'll join the Iowa Wrangler Junior High rodeo team and compete in boys goat tying and boys breakaway. This rodeo features more than 1,000 contestants from 47 states, Canadian provinces and Australia.
Contestants will be competing for more than $50,000 in college scholarships and $75,000 in prizes as well as the chance to be named the Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo National Champion.
To follow Dawson's progress in the WJHFR check the Wrangler Division's Web site at www.nhsrawranglerdivision.org.
Spire earned one of the highest honors attainable when she was named the girl's All-Around Champion for the year by the Iowa Junior High School Rodeo Association.
She earned this honor by accumulating more points in two or more events than any other female Junior High School Rodeo member during the 2008-09 season. Spire finished her season with a solid performance at the Iowa Junior High School Rodeo finals in Fort Madison, Iowa.
She finished first in breakaway and second in barrels, poles and goat tying. For receiving the award, Spire was awarded numerous prizes as well as a new pair of Ariat boots and a new Resistol straw hat.
"This sponsorship of the girl's year-end All-Around awards for the 47 NHSRA-Wrangler Division state and provincial associations is a true privilege for Ariat and Resistol," said Tabatha Nelson, sponsorship coordinator for Ariat, and Stan Redding, Resistol Hats. "We take great pride in manufacturing the finest footwear and cowboy hats available for the equine competitor and consider it to be an honor to be the official footwear and cowboy hat of the National High School Rodeo Association-Wrangler Division."
Of course Spire didn't do it all on her own. She also had one of the best horses out there. Snively's Golden Bar, aka "Larry", proved he was one of the best by being named AQHA/NHSRA Horse of the Year.
Snively's Golden Bar will now be eligible to compete for the national title of AQHA/NHSRA-Wrangler Division Horse of the Year honors.
"The American quarter horses used today in high school rodeo competition are truly great athletes who display versatility that has made the American quarter horses famous," Stacie Higgings, senior marketing manager for AQHA, said. "The unexplained chemistry between horse and rider makes the team winners.
“We are very proud to sponsor the AQHA/NHSRA-Wrangler Division Horse of the Year awards program and commend all of the NHSRA-Wrangler Division members for the time and energy they devote to their American quarter horses."
