Payson Roundup

Andy Towle/Roundup - atowle@payson.com

Jessi James, Payson, rounds the first barrel during the Arizona high school rodeo competition last weekend at the Payson Event Center.

Payson cowboy Trevor Haught advances to the National High School Rodeo Association finals as the Arizona state bareback champion.

Haught, a 2009 Payson High School graduate, nailed down the title June 13 at the state championships held at the Payson Event Center.

Although he finished second in the rodeo, he accumulated enough points during the 2008-2009 regular season to win the overall title.

At Payson, he was second in the first go-around, won the second go and missed his mark on the third go.

In rodeo parlance, that results when a bronc rider keeps his heels ahead of the horse’s shoulders on the first jump out of the chute and is disqualified.

Haught’s best score of the state championships, which was also the highest among all the qualifying cowboys, was the 75 he scored on Bionic Lady.

Earlier this season at Globe, he won the event riding that same horse.

His win last weekend marks the third consecutive year he has ridden his way to the Arizona state championship.

Heading to finals

Last season at the NHSRA championships, he finished seventh overall and hopes to improve upon that this year.

“My goal is to do better, win nationals,” he said.

The NHSRA championships are set for July 19 through July 25 in Farmington, N.M.

Following the national competition, Haught will take his rodeo career to the collegiate level.

Currently he is considering three colleges that have rodeo teams — Mesa Land in New Mexico, Feather River in California and Lamar in Colorado.

Complete results of the state meet are still not available from the rodeo association.