Carson trio set for nationals

The Carson-Douglas Rodeo will be well represented at the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Three members from the club - Washoe Valley's Aaron Heberger and Douglas High's Keston Denny and Jesse Bartorelli - all qualified for nationals at the Nevada State High School Championships on Sunday in Battle Mountain.

All three had outstanding performances in Sunday's short-go to qualify for the nationals to be held July 15-26 in Gillette, Wyo. Heberger qualified in calf roping a steer wrestling, Denny qualified in steer wrestling and Bartorelli qualified in bareback riding.

The top four overall finishers in each event based on their performance during the season and their efforts at the state rodeo qualified for nationals. Both Denny and Heberger had successful efforts in steer wrestling on Sunday.

In steer wrestling, Fallon's Sterling Lambert was the overall champion and Alamo's Chad Steele was second. Denny was third and Heberger was fourth.

Two Carson Country athletes qualified in bareback. Fernley's Stephen James took second behind Elko's Shade Mitchell. Jason Mansor of Las Vegas was third and Bartorelli had a successful ride on Sunday to take fourth.

Heberger also took third overall in calf roping after a successful run on Sunday behind overall champion Jade Corkill of Fallon and Winnemucca's Shane Ramasco. Heberger had another highlight on Sunday when he and Jake Ward of Las Vegas had the fastest run in team roping at 7.10 seconds.

Despite a limited time together, Heberger and Ward moved up from 12th to sixth in the overall standings to qualify for Fallon's Silver State Rodeo to be held June 30-July 4. The top 10 finishers in state qualified for Silver State. Heberger is going to Howard Community College in Texas this year to compete in rodeo on a full-ride scholarship.

Denny also qualified for Silver State in bull riding. Another highlight for the Carson-Douglas club came when Douglas High's Paul Mannelly, with limited experience, made a successful ride in bull riding.

Carson High's Alyce Kugler, though, was the victim of bad luck. Kugler, who made it to Sunday's short-go in girls cutting and barrell racing, had to use a borrowed horse and narrowly missed qualifying for Silver State in both events. Kugler will compete in girls cutting on Wednesday at the Reno Rodeo.