The Kansas High School Rodeo Finals are returning to Topeka.
After being at Hutchinson for several years, the yearend championship competition featuring the top 15 cowboys and cowgirls in all events at high school rodeos throughout the state last fall and this spring is schedule June 4 – 9, at the R.R. Domer Livestock Arena in Topeka’s Kansas Expocentre.
“The finals are Thursday through Saturday, with related activities the other days,” according to Suzan Adams, secretary of the Kansas High School Rodeo Association from Junction City.
Contestants are to start gathering for check-in Tuesday afternoon, with the queen horsemanship competition Wednesday morning, June 5, at 10 o’clock, and the speeches and modeling competitions are at 4 o’clock.
Other activities on Wednesday for contestants and their families will be a rules and logistics meeting, equipment check, welcome speeches, announcement of new officials, state finals picnic and a senior night slide show.
Designated as Tough Enough to Wear Pink all daylong in cancer prevention and cure awareness, Thursday, June 6, kicks off with scholarship interviews in the morning, a small bore and skeet shooting competition and a meeting of old and new board members.
Grand entry of the first performance of the first go-round, open to the public, is at 12:30, Thursday, and the second performance of the first go-round begins at 7 p.m. Awards ceremony for the first go-round follows the evening performance.
Friday, June 7, has been designated Red Shirt Day to Show Support of Troops. First and second go-rounds of the cutting competitions, open to public spectators, begin at 8 o’clock in the main arena.
Grand entry of the first performance of the second go-round, with the public welcome, is at 12:30. There will be a Heel-O-Matic demonstration at 3 p.m., by Chad Mathes.
Second performance of the second go-round is at 7 o’clock, with awards ceremony for the second go-round following the evening rodeo.
Cutting finals kickoff at 9 o’clock Saturday morning, June 8, and there will be a picnic for the Kansas High School Rodeo Association at the Topeka Zoo at noon.
Senior recognition and scholarship presentations are at 5 o’clock in the main arena, before the 6:30 coronation of the new Kansas Rodeo Queen by 2012-2013 KHSRA Queen McKayla Bacon of Dodge City. Grand entry for the final performance is at 7 p.m.
Cowboy church is Sunday June 9, at 9 o’clock in Heritage Hall with awards presentations immediately follow the services.
“Top four contestants in yearend standings of each event qualify to compete at the National High School Rodeo Finals July 14-20, in Rock Springs, Wyoming,” Adams clarified..
Additional information about the Kansas High School Rodeo Association Finals is available at www.khsra.net.