Hopes, talent soar at California High School Rodeo Association District 8 event in Brawley

The sound of lowing calves and grinding tractor gears; the smell of manure, dust and sun-cured leather; the Spirit of the West, alive and well — all were present this weekend at the Brawley Cattle Call grounds, as members of the California High School Rodeo Association rolled into town.

Sixth- to ninth-graders partook in a variety of sports that arose out of the working practices of Spanish cattle-herders and their descendants, the Mexican vaqueros, and eventually crept north of the border to take the American West by storm.

Among the contestants, there was an overwhelming sense of camaraderie and hardly a note of serious competition, even between kids from different schools and cities.

To hear some of them tell it, the bonds formed from the back of a horse are strong and lasting. The sport, with its combination of fun and hard work, serves to bring the best out of them.

“It’s a different lifestyle,” said barrel racer and pole bender Lexi Van Der Linden, 12, of Holtville. “It’s not just because I was raised in it, but I really like horses and you get to meet a lot of new people and have new experiences.”

Most of the older participants have their sights set on earning collegiate rodeo scholarships, emphasis on the “earning.”

The pens below the press box were stocked with bulls and horses no less large and impressive than any that bucked or galloped in November’s Cattle Call, which features only professional athletes.

One individual who has proven she has what it takes is CHSRA student president McKena Treasure, 17, of Chino.

An all-around cowgirl who started learning the fundamentals of horsemanship at the age of 2, McKena has been offered a “really nice scholarship” by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where her older sister competes.

Ramona’s Ben Dukes, 16, went to the state finals last year as a team-roping header, along with heeling partner Kiki Corona of Hemet.

“I try to win everything I can,” said Dukes, who also competes in calf-roping. “I’ve been doing this my whole life and someday I’d like to go pro.”

It wasn’t all just out-of-towners who tore up the arena in Saturday’s go-rounds. The Imperial Valley was represented by seven young women — all barrel racers, with some crossing over into goat-tying and pole-bending.

Savannah Mamer, 17, of Holtville, and Chelsea Webster, 17, of El Centro, also have high expectations for themselves.

In the past two years, Mamer has been ranked among the top 15 in California and hopes to repeat her success in 2013, while Webster, a first-generation cowgirl, hopes to attend Montana State and eventually try her hand on the professional circuit.

She thinks that she and her 13-year-old gelding, Petey, both have what it takes.

“We had a really amazing run (on Saturday),” said Webster. “I’m very proud of myself … and Petey, too.”

Tracey Scott, publicity manager for District 8 of the CHSRA, opened Saturday’s festivities by extending a warm thank you to the city of Brawley, Gold Cross Ambulance, Griggs Trucking, the Cattle Call Committee, and the Wilson and Mamer families of Brawley and Holtville, respectively, for their parts in organizing the event.

This marked Treasure’s eighth year coming to Brawley and she had nothing but good things to say.

“I like it here. They have a really nice facility,” she said. “We very much appreciate the city donating it to us for a few days every year. It helps the association out a lot.”

Steer wrestler Logan Trumbo, 17, of Pasadena, added, “It’s my favorite rodeo to come to all season.”

The event continues today.