Artesia HS rodeo takes six state titles

Milligan

...Five of the nine AHS rodeo competitors ended up in the top 10 in their events and go to compete in the short round on Saturday night. Those five team members were Harwell in barrel racing, pole bending and goat tying; Deerman in breakaway roping and team roping; Milligan in saddle bronc riding and bull riding; and Kelley and McCormick in steer wrestling. This was enough to help our team secure the Reserve State Team Title. Three state titles were sewn up before state finals and a fourth was pretty much sewn up also, but the other two came right down to the last go. Harwell already had such a lead in the pole bending, cutting and All-Around Cowgirl that she really didn’t even have to show up for state finals to win her events. Deerman had a great lead in the breakaway roping going into state finals and ended up, not surprisingly, winning the state title. She and her partner roped tough in the team roping and also won the state team roping title. Milligan went into state finals in third place in the bull riding, but after an impressive first round and short round, ended up the state champion bull rider. He was fourth in the saddle bronc riding, which secures a spot for the National High School Finals Rodeo in that event also. Harwell, Deerman and Milligan will travel July 17-23 to Gillette, Wyo., to compete in the NHSFR...more