After recording a two go-round time of 20.888 seconds in goat tying last week at the Fifth Annual Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo in Gallup, N.M., local cowgirl Kristy Melton qualified to the championship go-round as a top-20 competitor.
Although she fell short of clocking a short go time in the third and final round, Melton, an incoming freshman at San Benito High School, still finished in 19th place out of approximately 145 other competitors.
"I was very happy with what I did," Melton said. "I didn't do as well as I planned, but 19th in the nation out of about 140 girls, I think that is something to be very proud of."
The Hollister cowgirl, who recently wrapped up junior high at Tres Pinos School, clocked a 10.435-second time during her first go-round last week, placing her in 22nd place. Melton then followed her first performance with a second go-round time of 10.453 seconds, which placed her in 21st place for the round.
"I was quite happy with that," she said. "I've done faster, but for the girls there and with the quality of goats there, a 10 was a very good run."
Melton figured into the top 20 after her first two go-rounds, qualifying her to the short go, but couldn't quite clock a third time in the event.
"I had a good run going, but I didn't draw quite the right goat and things didn't fall into place as I hoped," she said.
Janey Reeves of Clarkston, Wash., was awarded first place in girls goat tying after she recorded a total three-go time of 28.85 seconds. Reeves, who didn't finish first in any of her three rounds, clocked times of 9.456, 9.772 and 9.622 seconds.
Melton, meanwhile, was recently named the girls' All-Around Champion for the year by the California Junior High School Rodeo Association. She took first in goat tying, eighth in team roping and fifth in ribbon roping. Melton previously competed at the Wrangler finals rodeo in ribbon roping when she was in the sixth grade.
Although ribbon roping is cut from the high school program, Melton can still compete in pole bending, barrel racing, goat tying, breakaway roping and team roping with her sister, incoming SBHS senior Megan Melton.
Megan is currently competing at the Silver State International Rodeo in Fallon, Nev., where she qualified in both goat tying and breakaway roping. Megan recorded an 11.47-second time in her first go-round in goats, and an impressive 3.28-second time in her first go-round in breakaway.
Andrew Matheson Andrew Matheson is a sports writer for South Valley Newspapers. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 334 or at amatheson@svnewspapers.com.
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