On Friday, June 13, 2008 at Yett Park in the Blanco Rodeo Association Arena there was a whirlwind of events. We started the night with our wonderful announcer Shane Anderson welcoming everyone to the event. Leighton Klepac gave a spiritual invocation to bless the arena, its participants and spectators.

The crowd was moved by the beautiful singing voices of Hannah and Emily Blackburn as they sang our Nation Anthem while Shelby Haynes and Bailey Zoeller posted the colors.

The Dummy Roping went into full swing with five participants entering and Lane Lowak coming in first place. Then off to the races were our stick horse contestants. In the five and under group we had 3 speedy racers and Jaycie Gloor came out on top and won the buckle.

Next was the six to eight yearr old stick horse racers, we had six competitors running for the buckle and Kaylee Park was the winner. The main event started and we had twenty children from the ages of five through sixteen entering the horse riding competitions. We had five events for four different age groups.

The first event was the Cloverleaf Barrels in the lead line division: Kinidi Moore 1st, Skylar Wagner 2nd and Tatum Klepac 3rd, Pee Wee division: Lane Lowak won 1st, Junior Division: Kendra Smith 1st and Morgan Lowak 2nd, Courtnie Schoeder 3rd, Logan Dodd 4th, Leighton Klepac 5th, Senior Division: Shelbi Haynes 1st, Elizabeth O’Day 2nd, Kaleigh Anderson 3rd, Bailey Zoeller 4th, Johnny Gourley 5th.

In the Straightaway Barrels lead line: Skylar Wagner 1st, Kinidi Moore 2nd, and Tatum Klepac 3rd Pee Wee: 1st Lane Lowak, juniors: Morgan Lowak 1st, Kendra Smith 2nd, and Leighton Klepac 3rd, seniors: Elizabeth O’Day 1st, Shelbi Haynes 2nd, and Kaleigh Anderson 3rd.

We switched over to the rough stock events. Mutton Bustin’ was first with Carlie Kuebel hanging on for a full 3.53 seconds and getting 1st place. Kyla Hotz won 2nd and Caleb Murrah placed 3rd with Ty Gourley at a tight 4th place.

Moving on to Calf Riding, we had Colton Elrod coming in 1st with a 3.32 second ride and Mark Kuebel 2nd place.

Steer riding found T. Benford in first place and Tyler Brown in 2nd. We then moved back to more horse riding events.

The Pole Bending event winners were lead line division Kinidi Moore 1st, Skylar Wagner 2nd, and Tatum Klepac 3rd, Pee Wee division; Lane Lowak 1st, Juniors division Kendra Smith 1st, Leighton Klepac 2nd and Morgan Lowak 3rd Seniors division Kaleigh Anderson 1st, Elizabeth O’Day 2nd and Shelbi Haynes 3rd.

Keyhole race lead line division was won by Kinidi Moore, Tatum Klepac got 2nd and Skylar Wagner came in 3rd. Pee Wee Division Lane Lowak got 1st with a 10.58 second run. Juniors Division Morgan Lowak came in first with a 7.54 second ride, Avery Klepac came in second with an 8.46 and Hannah Hulburt came in 3rd with an 8.54. Seniors were putting on the speed with Elizabeth O’Day getting first with a 5.54 second run, Shelbi Haynes had a 5.90 run placing 2nd and Johnny Gourley with a 6.45 run grabbing 3rd.

The last of the horse events for the buckle was a goat ribbon pull for the lead liners - Kinidi Moore 1st , Tatum Klepac 2nd and Skylar Wagner 3rd. Pee Wee division also pulled the ribbon off the tail, Lane Lowak got 1st. The juniors had to actually tie three legs together and this was a chore but Kendra Smith came in 1st, Morgan Lowak 2nd and Logan Dodd was 3rd.

Then it was the seniors turn Shelbi Haynes tied the goat in 15.09 seconds faster than anyone that night she got 1st place, Elizabeth O’Day came in second and Bailey Zoeller came in 3rd.

We added our own event this year a breakaway steer roping and the only person to catch was Logan Dodd. I would like to thank all the people who helped put on this great event. First the Sponsors that donated money so we could get all the wonderful awards: Blanco Rodeo Association , Benson Paint and Body Shop, Biggers Chiropractic Clinic, Crofts Funeral Home, Hill County Stop, and Dr. Pautz Dental Office. I would also like to thank Blanco General and Super S Feed for working with us to get a great price on all of our awards! Extra special thanks to our stock contractors, Bailey Moore, Tom Murrah and Travis Gourley, I appreciate all of you for volunteering to haul in stock for this event, we couldn’t do this without livestock. Big thanks goes to all the help that night Andrea, Beverly, Cheyenne, Christi, Linda, Shane, Robin, Margaret, Tom, Lynn, Brandon, Bailey, Bradley, John, Jimmy, Tito, Medo, Opie, Travis, Craig, Wesley, Bryan, the EMS, the Pajama Mama’s and the many others that help. Thank you! Your service was greatly appreciated!