Alyce Kugler of the Carson-Douglas Rodeo Club defended her state title in girls cutting in a competition that went down to the wire on Sunday in the finals of the Nevada State High School Rodeo in Winnemucca.
Kugler will be joined at next month's National High School Rodeo Finals by two other locals. Her teammate, Cory Hershkowitz, and Gardnerville's Jonathon Glocknitzer, who competes as an independent, also advanced to nationals. The top four finishers advanced to nationals.
Kugler and Elko's Chelsea Hooper battled for the title with Kugler holding a six-point lead heading into the finals. After the finals, Kugler won with 192.75 total points while Hooper finished in second with 183.75 points. Karysa Perez of the Carson-Douglas club finished 14th in girls cutting.
As a state champion, Kugler receives a pair of Wrangler jeans and a Wrangler state championship patch to place on her competition shirt. In addition, she also receives an embroidered jacket from Carhartt Outerwear as a state champion.
In boys cutting, Glocknitzer took second with 195 points, finishing behind Elko's Casey Barton, who won with 200.25 points. Byron Kreck of the Carson-Douglas club took seventh with 121 points.
Hershkowitz had an outstanding weekend as he had successful rides in all three of his attempts in bareback riding. He took second with 159.5 points, finishing behind Battle Mountain's Cameron Hopper-Craig, who had 210 points.
Also for the Carson-Douglas club, Spencer Oesterling took 15th in bull riding.