Seniors Kristen Riley and Ty Roach won the Reserve Championship at the Texas State Fair Youth Rodeo in the senior ribbon roping event September 1. This event was organized by the Texas High School Rodeo Association (THSRA).

“Roach and Riley are wonderful students here at LHS,” teacher Casey Jones said. “They are active members of the Lindale FFA, and [they] represent us well each time they compete at an FFA sponsored rodeo event.”

Riley and Roach are both apart of THSRA, which holds events regularly. THSRA has given more than $185,000 in scholarship money to seniors around the state, ranging from donations of  $250 to $4,000.

“They are a part of the THSRA, and I believe they have competitions once or twice a month, usually held in Terrell,” teacher Stephen Hindman said. “Kristen has done really well in the past, including at the end of the school and throughout the summer.”

In the ribbon roping event, two partners, one boy and one girl, work together. One, the runner, pulls the ribbon off the calf as the horse keeps the slack tight on the rope, and the fastest time wins.

“[Ty and I] have been rodeoing most of our lives,” Riley said. “We just use the skills we know best to thrive in the event.”

 Riley and Roach will continue to compete with THSRA and then in the spring when livestock shows start-up with youth rodeos and other events with FFA throughout the year.

“We are super proud of their accomplishments at the State Fair of Texas Youth Rodeo,” Jones said. “[We] wish them the best as they continue competing throughout this year.”