Four from Ramona to Compete at Wrangler Junior High National Finals

By Joe Naiman

Four Ramona rodeo competitors fared well enough in the state finals to earn berths at the Wrangler Junior High National Finals.

Amber Aspin, Alyssa Elston, Cameron Elston, and Mason Malone all placed well enough in the state finals at Lincoln, California, May 14-15 to earn trips to the national championship. They will be spending July 5-9 in Gallup, New Mexico, the site of the national finals.

The state finals which provided qualifiers for the Wrangler Junior High National Finals was a rodeo separate from California Junior Rodeo Association competition, but throughout the academic points for the standings were accumulated in conjunction with the CJRA rodeos; a separate entry fee allowed points from the CJRA time or score to be counted toward the quest for the state finals.

Aspin, who is 14, qualified for the national finals in two events: Barrel Racing and Ribbon Roping. Alyssa Elston, who is 13, also qualified in both Barrel Racing and Ribbon Roping. Twelve-year-old Cameron Elston received a buckle at Lincoln for winning the state Breakaway Roping championship and also qualified for the national finals in Calf Tying, Ribbon Roping, and Team Roping. Malone, who is 13, earned a buckle for the state Calf Tying championship and also earned a buckle in the Breakaway Roping open competition at Lincoln, although he did not qualify for the state Breakaway Roping finals. Malone, whose May activities also included winning the Junior Boys All-Around at the CJRA rodeo May 7 in Ramona, will also compete at the national finals in Ribbon Roping, Team Roping, and Chute Dogging.

All four Ramona competitors attend Olive Peirce Middle School.