Rio Hondo High School students ride into a ranch rodeo competition. (Courtesy photo)
By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
RIO HONDO – Four Rio Hondo High School students are competing in the 2011 Van Horn, Texas Ranch Rodeo.
The four students, 16-year-old Adam Juarez, 16-year-old Caleb Ortega, 17-year-old Jaime Ortega, and 16-year-old Manny Tamez, departed on Van Horn on Thursday at 9 a.m.
“My goal is to keep these boys involved in these types of competitions,” said Debra Ortega, who helped raise money to pay for the trip to Van Horn. “These cowboys will be representing El Mesquital Arena in Rio Hondo (owned by Andres Ortega, Jr.).”
According to Ortega, all of the money raised was utilized for the entree fees, meals, lodging and supplies. The two-day competition consisted of six different events, including cow branding, shovel racing, loading steers on stock trailers, and Brock riding among other things, all of which must be completed in the fastest time on Friday and Saturday.
“There will be several prizes given to the quickest time like ropes, money, hats, boots, belt buckles,” said Ortega. “Our goal for these cowboys is to keep the cowboy tradition alive. It’s competitions like these that remind the cowboys of the old days.”
“These cowboys would like to thank all the sponsors and business friends and family that were able to make this trip possible for them,” said Ortega.
To see this story in print, pick up a copy of the June 19 edition of the San Benito News. Or view our E-Edition by clicking here.
1 comment
I was the photographer for the
Van Horn Rodeo. I took a few photos of these boys and posted them on my gallery at the above website. They are under the Sat nite gallery.
Enjoy!
Just Horsin Around Photography