Joleen Weir of Fallon takes a sharp corner in barrel racing at the Fernley rodeo last month. She and the Fallon High School Rodeo Club host their annual rodeo this weekend at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.
Each spring the dust and dirt kicks up as cowboys and cowgirls swing their lassos and ride their horses at the annual Fallon junior and high school rodeo.
Hosted by the Fallon Rodeo Club, this year’s event kicks off at 9 a.m. Saturday and 8 a.m. Sunday at the Churchill County Fairgrounds.
Typically, the rodeo begins on Friday with cutting, but this year, due to several rodeo clubs unable to secure cattle, the cutting and cow horse reigning were held three weeks ago, according to Monyca Jensen of the Fallon Rodeo Club.
Those events will count for points in three separate rodeos, she added.
But on Saturday, the Fallon club expects one of the largest rodeos this season as certain events are drawing between 50-65 athletes.
Jensen said this year has seen steady growth throughout the rodeo circuit as more athletes are competing.
“I think it’s growing,” said Jensen, who is also on the board of directors for the Nevada State High School/Junior High School Rodeo Association. “The junior high is growing and so is the high school (division). Maybe the economy has changed a little bit and because Fallon is centrally located it’s a little bit easier for everybody to make it here. It’s starting to rebound and that’s nice to see.”
She added the Fallon club has also seen a spike in participation and assists with travel expenses. Jensen said if an athlete secures enough donations, they club will hand out $500 to an athlete.
“The kids do a good job of getting out in the community and showing their faces that we’re here,” Jensen said.
On Monday, as per tradition, Fallon’s cowboys and cowgirls will host their annual Special Kids Rodeo.
As for the high school standings, Cord and Caleb Hendrix are having another standout season.
The brothers are currently first in team roping, while Cord Hendrix is first in cutting and Caleb Hendrix is second. Cord Hendrix is also second in bull riding, while Caleb Hendrix is eighth in tie-down roping.
Leighton Beyer, meanwhile, is fifth in barrel racing followed by Joleen Weir in 17th and Sydney Felton in 22nd. Felton , though, is 15th in breakaway roping, while Beyer is 23rd and Weir is in 35th.
In goat tying, Beyer is 19th and Felton 22nd, while Beyer is ninth in pole bending and Felton is 24th.
Jessica Gomes, meanwhile, has been solid in cutting all season and sits in fifth. She is also seventh in reined cow horse and Jes Tews is 12th.
In team roping, Tews is in third followed by Mackay Spyrow in seventh, Blain Jensen in 23rd and Beyer in 44th.
In tie-down roping, Tews is 10th, Spyrow 12th, Cord Hendrix 13th, Matt Goings 19th, Sam Goings 20th and Jensen 25th.