Members of the Pennsylvania High School Rodeo Association have been traveling throughout the state for the past month to participate in rodeos and earn points to compete at the National finals and three area teens - Brent Phillips (Beech Creek), Ashley Derr (Linden) and Tyler Waltz (Jersey Shore) - have excelled.
The first spring rodeo was held on April 4-5 at Homestead Farms in Hummelstown. Although the wind was strong, the participants arrived with fast times on their minds. On April 4, Phillips placed first in team roping with a time on 13.08 seconds and second in calf roping. Derr placed first in pole bending, posting a time of 21.761 seconds, and sixth in goat tying. On Sunday, Phillips was second in calf roping bringing in a time of 16.85 seconds and Derr won pole bending running in 21.463 seconds. She also placed second in goat tying with a time of 10.770 seconds.
On April 18-19, the group traveled to Lewisburg, W. Va., where they competed in a tri-state rodeo against members of Virginia and West Virginia high school teams. Saturday, Phillips placed second in calf roping with a time of 14.160 seconds and second in team roping. Derr placed second in goat tying with a time of 12.750 seconds. Sunday, Phillips score a double win, taking the calf roping event in 11.60 seconds and the team roping event in 7.970 seconds. Derr placed fourth in a competitive pole bending event with a time of 21.884 seconds and finished eighth in goat tying.
The association rounded out the busy month on April 25-26 at North Washington Rodeo Grounds in North Washington. Phillips laid down two quick times in calf roping winning first place on Saturday in 10.60 seconds and placing second on Sunday with a time of 10.51 seconds. Waltz made a comeback appearance and won the bareback riding event both days scoring 74 points on the Saturday and 72 points on Sunday. In barrel racing, Derr placed second on Saturday with a time of 16.051 seconds and on Sunday won the event by posting the fastest time of the weekend, 16.021 seconds. She also had a fifth-place in goat tying on Saturday as well as a seventh place in goat tying and a ninth place pole run on Sunday.
This month will be busy for the trio, too. This weekend they are in Mount Pleasant. They also have competitions scheduled May 16-17 and May 23-24.
