Hadley Thompson Leads Wyoming at 2025 National High School Final Rodeo

The first round concluded on Wednesday morning at the 2025 National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) in Rock Springs. Yoder’s Hadley Thompson won the first round of goat tying after a run of 6.54 seconds in the sixth and final performance at the Sweetwater Events Complex. Thompson is also in the top 15 of breakaway roping and the top five of team roping. She leads the all-around standings with 430 points.

Thompson had a first go run of 2.95 seconds and sits in 15th place in breakaway roping. Hadley and her partner, Asa Pixley from Sundance, had taken the lead in team roping on Tuesday night in the fifth performance of round one with a time of 7.27 seconds. They finished the first round in fourth place.

Several other cowboys and cowgirls won their performance in round one.

Tyson Schmelzle of Gillette posted a 76 for the top score in Tuesday morning’s fourth performance in the bareback riding. He is tied seventh after the first round. Cheyenne’s Brenson Bartlett had an 82-point ride in bull riding during the third performance on Monday night. He is third after the first round. Big Horn’s Bleu Butler recorded the fastest time in Monday night’s goat tying at 6.97 seconds. She is tied for fifth after the first round. Emeree Tavegie of Newcastle has the quickest run in pole bending during the fourth performance on Tuesday morning at 20.196 seconds. She is fifth after the first round. Finally, Cael and Hays Espenscheid from Big Piney posted the best time in the second performance on Monday morning in team roping at 7.55 seconds. They are ninth after the first go.

For other Wyoming contestants, in the bareback riding, Laramie’s Trenton Rogers is tied for 17th after a 72-point ride in round one. Kloe Nichols had the best time in barrel racing in the first go at 17.742 seconds. She sits in 32nd place. Clancey Adamson from Cheyenne is 34th after the first round of boys cutting with a score of 205. Owen Monfeldt of Cody is tied for 12th in the bull riding after 75. The top effort in girls’ cutting is TeAnna Jolovich. She is tied for 24th after a first go score of 214. In goat tying, Rhame Hicks of Gillette had a run of 7.21 seconds and is 14th after the opening round. Abby Millburg-Holcomb from Gillette is tied for 12th in the pole bending after a 20.582-second run. In the reined cow horse competition, Josie Waite from Morrill, NE, who rodeos in Wyoming, is tied for 22nd after a score of 286.5. Gillette’s Owen Thomson is tied for 24th in saddle bronc riding after a first go score of 67. In steer wrestling, Teague Goodman is Wyoming’s top performer after a run of 8.37 seconds. He finds himself in 20th place. Finally, in tie-down roping, Rozet’s Carter Hutchison is 49th after the first round at 12.76 seconds.

Get our free mobile app

In the team standings after the first go, the Wyoming girls are fifth with 965 points, and the Wyoming boys are also fifth with 945 points. Overall, Team Wyoming is in fourth place with 1,740 points. Texas leads the overall at 2,590 points. Oklahoma and Utah are also in front of the Cowboy State.

Wyoming did not have any contestants in the light rifle competition who made the final or championship round. Laramie's Kayden Hemsher was Wyoming's top finisher at 64th.

The second round began with Wednesday night’s seventh performance and goes through Saturday morning. The top 20 in each event will be invited back for the NHSFR finals at 7 p.m. on Saturday.