BUFFALO — Several athletes from Sweetwater County, Sublette County and the Bridger Valley secured top finishes at the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association State Finals, earning spots at the National High School Finals Rodeo later this summer.
The top four competitors in each event at the conclusion of the season advance to the NHSFR. According to season standings and state finals results posted by the Wyoming High School Rodeo Association, several area athletes finished among the state’s top competitors and appear positioned to qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo. However, official qualifications are subject to final verification by the WYHSRA.
Green River’s Teague Goodman turned in one of the strongest performances among local competitors. Goodman finished the season as the as the top Wyoming athlete in steer wrestling with 130 points. He also placed second in the state finals after posting a 22.62 on two head during the weekend competition.
Goodman also teamed with Manila, Utah’s Gradie Pendleton in team roping. The duo finished 10th in the season standings with 50 points.
Big Piney’s Hays Espenscheid and partner Tanner Griemsman of Worland captured the Wyoming team roping championship. The pair finished first in the season standings with 128.50 points and backed up that performance by winning the state finals with a 14.44 on two head.
Espenscheid also finished 12th in the season standings in tie-down calf roping with 48 points.
Another Big Piney cowboy, Jace Bowles, secured a national finals berth in tie-down calf roping after finishing fourth in the season standings with 79 points. Bowles’ top-four finish qualifies him to represent Wyoming at nationals.
In the shooting sports, Green River’s Cooper Brownlee finished fifth in both light rifle and trap shooting. Brownlee scored 89 points during the season in light rifle and added 84 points in trap shooting. At the state finals, he placed fourth in the light rifle average with a score of 578 and fifth in trap shooting with a 173. Brownlee may still be in the hunt for nationals as he could still make it as an alternate.
Lyman’s Stone Hooten also produced a strong season. Hooten finished first in Wyoming in trap shooting with 128.50 points and sixth in light rifle with 60 points. At the state finals, he won the trap shooting with a two head score of 184 and placed seventh in light rifle with a 482.
Rock Springs competitors Ranger Duncombe and Stryder Abbott finished in the top 15 in shooting events. Duncombe finished 12th in light rifle and 10th in trap shooting in the final standings, while Abbott placed 15th in light rifle and ninth in trap shooting.
Reese Dana of Green River ended the season 13th in light rifle and 16th in trap shooting.
Manila’s Gradie Pendleton finished 12th in breakaway roping with 42 points and 16th in goat tying with 29 points. Pendleton’s best finish at state came in breakaway roping, where she placed fourth in the average with a 6.21 on two head.
Lyman’s Strat Youngberg finished seventh in the state bull riding standings with 43 points, narrowly missing a trip to nationals.
One of Wyoming’s biggest stars entering the national finals will once again be Hadley Thompson of Yoder. Thompson, the reigning NHSFR all-around cowgirl champion, finished first in Wyoming in both breakaway roping and goat tying this season with 102.50 and 133.50 points, respectively. She also qualified in barrel racing after finishing fourth with 86.50 points and narrowly missed a fourth event, placing fifth in pole bending.
Thompson returns to the national stage after a remarkable 2025 NHSFR in Rock Springs, where she captured world championships in breakaway roping, goat tying and the all-around cowgirl competition.
