Evan Bourdon, an eighth-grade student at Sheridan Middle School, has earned a position on Indiana’s National Junior High rodeo team. He will travel with his fellow teammates to Huron, S.D. and compete June 24-30 at the 14th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR).
Bourdon will compete in breakaway roping, chute dogging, ribbon roping, goat tying, saddle cattle and bull riding.
This will be Bourdon’s second appearance at the NJHFR as a member of Team Indiana. He was also nominated to the Cinch Team for being a returning qualifier and to Ariat’s “All Around” Team for winning the 2018 Indiana Junior High All Around Cowboy title.
Featuring roughly 1,000 contestants from 43 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia and Mexico, the NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $80,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be vying for more than $200,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo World Champion. To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20 – based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds – to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three-round combined times/scores.
Again, this year, the Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch High School Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. Live broadcasts of all NJHFR performances can be viewed at RidePass.com. Performance times are 7 p.m. on June 2 and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day thereafter.
Along with great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NJHFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy shooting sports, volleyball, contestant dances, family-oriented activities, church services sponsored by the Fellowship of Christian Cowboys and shopping at the NJHFR tradeshow, as well as visiting area attractions as Huron hosts the NJHFR this year.
To follow your local favorites at the NJHFR, visit NHSRA.com daily for complete results. For ticket information and reservations, visit sdstatefair.com.