Barbe Ella Kay secured her second consecutive goat tying state championship on Friday, and DeQuincy’s Ty Lavergne is close to winning his first bull riding title today at the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo at Burton Coliseum.

The short-go round starts at 5 p.m.

After not scoring any points in the first-go round Thursday (13.79 seconds), Kay bounced back to win the second-go round on Friday with a 7.42-second run. The nine points for the win put her at 111 and over the 21-point lead threshold needed to keep Sage Raymond (Briarfield Academy, 85.8) and Abbey Anderson (Shepherd HS, Texas, 82.8) from catching up with her today in the short-go round.

Lavergne’s path to his first bull riding state championship is simple: stay on for eight seconds in today’s round.

He leads defending champion Brennan Polito (Epic Charter) by 12.9 points, 106.75-93.85. A scoring ride plus at least a seventh-place finish in the average standings will give Lavergne the 8.2 points he needs to hold off Polito. The pair tied for second in the first-go round with 73-point rounds. Lavergne was second in the second-go round on Friday with a 78-point ride, while Carter Shaw (Magnolia Bend) won the round at 79, and Polito was third with a 66.

Lavergne currently leads the average title race with 151 points.

Three cowboys have already secured state championships. Wyatt Lavergne won his fourth consecutive saddle bronco state championship, while Bryer Prince (Sulphur) won three in a row in bareback riding. Turbo Baxter (Slaughter Community Charter) is the steer wrestling state champ.

The top four in each event qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo at the Sweetwater Events Complex in Rock Springs, Wyoming, July 13-19.

Here is a look at how the other events at the LHSFR are shaping up:

 

Barrel racing

Defending champion Rylee Jo Maryman (University View Academy) leads Abbey Anderson (Shepherd HS, Texas) in a tight race by 9.9 points, 97.3 to 87.4, for the barrel racing state title.

Maryman needs a combination of 11.2 points between the short-go and points from her placing in the average standings to secure the state title. She placed in the top four in the first two rounds, including the top time on Thursday at 14.935 seconds, the only sub 15-second round. Maryman (30.083 seconds) leads the average standings by .316 seconds.

 

Tie down roping

Cruz Melanson (Vinton) and Cougar Racca (Bell City) cut into Braxton Guillot’s (La. Virtual Charter) lead on Friday in tie down roping. Racca won the second-go round with a time of 8.85 seconds, while Melanson was second at 9.09 seconds. Racca (17.26) and Melanson (17.66) are one-two in the average standings, putting the pressure on Guillot.

Guillot’s magic number is 11.2 points to win his first tie down roping state championship.

 

Breakaway roping

The most contested event of the week is breakaway roping. Seven cowgirls are within 10 points of leader Kensley Mudge (Magnolia Bend), who has 42.8 points.

Faith Dubois (Home School) is just .2 points off the lead, and Jillian Fontenot (Beau Chene) is 1.8 points back at 41.

Mudge has no margin for error as she essentially needs to win the short-go round and the average. Dubois is currently the leader for the 12 points that go with the average title at 4.65 seconds on two runs, giving her a strong chance of overtaking Mudge (8.16 seconds)

 

Team roping

A fourth-place finish today in the short-go round will be enough for Cole Steib (Catholic-Point Coupee) and Kayson Lasyone (Magnolia Bend) to win the team roping title regardless of the outcome of the average standings.

Steib and Lasyone, the defending champion, have 147.4 points, while Carter Perry (Cedar Creek) and H.D. Willis (Home School) are currently second at 117.8 points.

Steib and Lasyone had the second-best time in the second-go round Friday at 8.03 seconds, while Braxton Guillot and Johnny Price won with a time of 7.65 seconds.

 

Pole bending

Kodi Miller (Simpson) is on the verge of winning her second consecutive pole bending state championship.

Despite placing ninth (21.330 seconds) in the second-go round on Friday, Miller is still in the lead and needs 9.9 points to wrap up another state title. Gemi Robinson (Magnolia Bend) is second at 91.3 points.

Addison Krieg had the best second-go time at 20.165 seconds.

 

Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo

Standings after second-go round

 

All-Around Cowboy

1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Charter                                                                               126.10

2, Turbo Baxter, Slaughter Comm.                                                                               117.30

3, Cruz Melanson, Vinton                                                                               109.20

4, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron                                                                                  97.00

5, H.D. Willis, Home School                                                                                  89.90

 

Rookie All-Around Cowboy

1, Cole Steib, Catholic-PC                                                                               114.00

2, Cain Martin, Sulphur                                                                                  43.40

3, Skinner Wilkinson, Home School                                                                                  41.10

 

All-Around Cowgirl

1, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd                                                                               254.45

2, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                                                                               217.70

3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                                                                               197.00

 

Rookie All-Around Cowgirl

1, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                                                                               197.00

2, Kinley Walker, Home School                                                                                  96.70

 

Bareback riding

1, *#Bryer Prince, Home School                                                                                  102.2

2, Fisher Burnworth, Home School               54.2

3, Ethan Parrott, Darbonne Woods               28.0

 

Barrell racing

1, *Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                  97.3

2, Abbey Anderson, Shepherd                        87.4

4, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend                70.0

3, Ava Nunez, Bell City                                       69.9

5, Kynnedy Nunn, Welsh                                   51.1

 

Saddle bronc riding

1, *#Wyatt Lavergne, DeQuincy                     98.0

2, Austin James, Rosepine                               54.0

3, Brant Schexnider, xxx                                    16.1

 

Tie down roping

1, Braxton Guillot, La. Virtual Ch.                  99.1

2, Cruz Melanson, Carol Acad.                       89.2

3, Cougar Racca, Bell City                                68.0

4, Carter Primeaux, Erath                                 64.2

5, Gentry Silver, Bell City                                   59.3

 

Breakaway roping

1, Kensley Mudge, Magnolia Bend                 42.8

2, Faith Dubois, Home School                        42.6

3, Jillian Fontenot, Beau Chene                      41.0

4, Caroline Fontenot, Beau Chene                36.1

5, Saige Martin, Sulphur                                   36.0

 

Steer wrestling

1, #Turbo Baxter, Slaughter                                                                                  103.3

2, William Gunter, Sulphur                               73.7

3, Kyler Landry, Ascension Cath.                   71.1

4, Noah Weeks, Magnolia Bend                     45.0

5, Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron                         44.0

 

Goat tying

1, *Ella Kay, Barbe                                                                                  111.0

2, Sage Raymond, Briarfield Acad.                85.8

3, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd                           82.8

4, Abbie Savant, Home School                       79.8

5, Rylee Jo Maryman, Univ. View                    75.8

 

Team roping

1, *Kayson Lasyone, Magnolia Bend                                                                                  147.4

Cole Steib, Catholic-PC

2, Carter Perry, Cedar Creek                                                                                  117.8

H.D. Willis, Home School

3, Carter Huffman, Jena                                                                                  109.4

Andrew Paul, Jena

4, Teddie Austin Guynn, Home School        92.4

Wyatt Sonnier, Welsh

5, Grant Engel, Jeff Davis Home School      82.2

Skinner Wilkinson, Home School

 

Pole bending

1, *Kodi Miller, Simpson                                                                                  102.5

2, Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend                91.3

3, Addison Rains, Magnolia Bend                  81.1

4, Kenzie King, Jeff Davis Home School       62.4

5, Abbey Anderson, Sheperd                           51.4

 

Bull riding

1, Ty Lavergne, DeQuincy                                                                               106.75

2, *Brennan Polito, Epic Charter                                                                                  93.85

3, Carter Shaw, Magnolia Bend                      65.5

4, Briggs Cooley, Christ Bridge                       45.5

5, Luke Simon, Notre Dame                             44.3

 

*Defending state champ

#2025 state champion

 

Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo

At Burton Coliseum

Results from the second-go round on Friday, May 30

 

Bareback riding

1, Bryer Prince                          69

2, Fisher Burnworth                55

 

Barrel racing

1, Abbye Anderson                  15.053

2, Kanely Cooper                     15.066

3, Gremi Robinson                  15.145

4, Rylee Jo Maryman               15.148

5, Addison Krieg                       15.153

6, Ava Nunez                             15.203

7, Kynnedy Nunn                      15.374

8, Kenzie King                            15.432

9, Logan Krieg                           15.441

10, Addison Rains                   15.469

 

Saddle bronc riding

1, Wyatt Lavergne                    75

2, Brant Schexnider                44

 

Tie down roping

1, Cougar Racca                      8.85

2, Cruz Melanson                     9.09

3, K.J. Rideaux                           9.66

4, Kyler Landry                          10.87

5, Colt Guillot                            11.02

6, Brennan Aucoin                   12.42

7, Austin James                        12.48

8, Braxton Guillot                     12.53

9, Colton Summers                 12.72

10, Tyler Lavergne                    13.00

 

Breakaway roping

1, Steeley Franklin                   1.92

2, Faith Dubois                         2.08

3, Reese Broussard                 2.37

4, Abbey Anderson                  2.45

4, Alex Poole                              2.45

6, Emma Bain                            2.78

7, Michelle Hesnor                  2.84

8, Jenna Vincent                       2.96

9, Kensley Mudge                     3.03

10, Keylee Izard                        3.20

 

Steer wrestling

1, Cain Martin                           5.53

2, Turbo Baxter                         6.20

3, Jadon Leonard                     14.61

4, Kole Landry                           18.17

5, William Gunter                    25.80

6, Cale Carpenter                    27.13

7, Kyler Landry                          30.82

 

Goat tying

1, Ella Kay                                   7.42

2, Kynnedy Nunn                      7.51

3, Brantlee Colbert                  8.27

4, Abbie Savant                        8.29

5, Lauren Williamson             8.32

6, Abbey Anderson                  8.73

7, Sage Raymond                     8.80

8, Rylee Jo Maryman               8.98

9, Katie Abshire                        9.07

10, Jamie Kile                            9.25

 

Team roping

1, Braxton Guillot/Johnny Payne       7.65

2, Cole Steib/Kayson Lasyone          8.03

3, Teddie Austin Guynn/Wyatt Sonnier        8.78

4, John Wade Hoffpauir/Trace Watkins        9.34

5, Hayden Walker/Grant Boudreaux                                                       10.36

6, Bill Odell/Tucker Wright    11.69

7, Grant Engel/Skinner Wilkinson    12.02

8, Caleb Brister/Kaden Doughty       15.15

9, Hollis Davis/Brayson Manuel        15.47

10, H.D. Willis/Carter Perry  16.62

 

Pole bending

1, Addison Krieg                       20.165

2, Addison Rains                      20.463

3, Gemi Robinson                    20.543

4, Stella Aucoin                        20.564

5, Abbey Anderson                  20.744

6, Brinna Jo Wagner                20.890

7, Rylee Jo Maryman               20.930

8, Jossy Gantt                            21.108

9, Kodi Miller                              21.330

10, Logan Krieg                         21.379

 

Bull riding

1, Carter Shaw                          79

2, Ty Lavergne                           78

3, Brennan Polito                     66