DeQuincy High School state champion saddle bronc rider Wyatt Lavergne hit the amateur rodeo circuit this season to up his game.

He has turned his success in the amateur rankings into such a dominating junior season that he won his third consecutive state championship before the Louisiana High School Finals Rodeo starts today at Burton Coliseum.

“I have just been getting on the bucking machine,” Lavergne said. “I got on a lot more amateur rodeos.

“I started to put my name in the books more recently and started getting a couple more wins and building confidence. It has been able to grow my confidence a lot because I have been competing in the open rodeos, just the high school rodeos. It has brought my confidence up a lot.”

The first go-round is from 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. today, followed by the second go-round from 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Friday. The short go will start at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Even though his third state title is assured with a 50-point lead over second-place Trent Broussard (Notre Dame), Lavergne is not slowing down as he looks to win all three rounds for a second consecutive year.

“My mind-set is still on it that anybody still has a chance,” Lavergne said. “I have to stay hammered down, you never feel like you have it in the bag.

“You have to ride like it is your last go and try to squeeze in.”

He has won 11 of 12 high school rodeos this season, averaging 73.2 points a ride.

“I feel like I have gotten a lot better with my mark-out and just gassing it,” Lavergne said. “You have to have your spurs in their neck before they hit the ground.

“It helps with the points, and it is mandatory. If not, it will be no time. If you improve on that it improves on your entire ride because it is all timing.”

On the Louisiana Rodeo Cowboys Association circuit, he leads the saddle bronc standings with $2,156.88 in earnings and more than $1,000 ahead of three-time LHSFR champion Coy Hebert (2018, ’19, ’21). He is ranked third in the World Champions Rodeo Alliance Division Youth rankings, that includes a big 85-point ride at the Stampede at the E in Guthrie, Oklahoma, in January, plus an 80-point winning ride at the Rodeo Corpus Christi (Texas) Division Youth Showcase on May 7.

“A lot has changed mentally,” Lavergne said. “I feel like I have always been mentally strong, but it has definitely taken a leap in how confident I have been and knowing what I can do.”

Rodeo is in Lavergne’s blood. His father was a bull rider and his mother was a rodeo queen. His younger brother, Ty, won the junior high bull riding state championship last year and ranks fourth as a freshman this year.

“My dad and grandparents all rodeoed,” Lavergne said. “I have a little bit of history in it in the rough stock riding.

“My dad always had a strange feeling that I would turn out to be a bronc rider. He has always told me that since I was really little. He has been able to watch it grow into what it has been.”

 

All-Around Cowboy

1. Jakob Simoneaux, Palmetto. . . . . . . . . . .109

2. Zach Reeves, Sulphur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107

3. Trent Broussard, Estherwood. . . . . . . . . . . 97

4. John Murphy, Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

5. Cougar Racca, Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

All-Around Cowgirl

1. Ava Nunez, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .169

2. Rylee Jo Maryman, University View. . .127.5

3. Kenzie King, Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120.5

4. Ella Kay, Iowa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115

5. Abbey Anderson, Cleveland, Texas. . . . .112

Barbeback Riding

1. Jakob Simoneaux, Palmetto. . . . . . . . . . . . 85

2. Bryer Prince, Home school. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

3. Fisher Burnworth, Home school. . . . . . . . . 39

Barrel Racing

1. Ava Nunez, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

2. Rylee Jo Maryman, University View. . . . . .72

3. Kyndal Scott, Magnolia Bend. . . . . . . . . . . 63

4. Eliana Shidaker, W. Feliciana. . . . . . . . . . . . 41

5. Mckenzie Hartgrove, Pineville. . . . . . . . . . . 38

Breakaway Roping

1. Grace Dubois, Devillier Institute. . . . . . . . . 60

2. Camille Losey, Church Point. . . . . . . . . . . . 44

3. Cheyenne Seaux, Lafayette Christian. . . . 43

4. Jenna Vincent, Home school. . . . . . . . . . . . 39

5. Alex Poole, Barbe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33.5

Bull Riding

1. Brennan Polito, Epic Charter. . . . . . . . . . . . 64

2. Zach Reeves, Home school. . . . . . . . . . . . . .53

3. Carter Shaw, Magnolia Bend. . . . . . . . . . . . 37

4. Ty Lavergne, DeQuincy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.5

5. Harrison Simon, Notre Dame. . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Goat Tying

1. Allie Calcote, E. Beauregard. . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

2. Ella Kay, Barbe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

3. Bella Litton, Haughton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

4. Makayla Stelly, Sulphur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53.5

5. Gracie Dupin, Sam Houston. . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Pole Bending

1. Kodi Miller, Simpson. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .100

2. Kenzie King, Jeff Davis Home School. . . . 93

3. Ava Nunez, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

4. Mckenzie Hartgrove, Pineville. . . . . . . . . 52.5

5. Abbey Anderson, Shepherd High. . . . . . . 47

Saddle Bronc Riding

1. Wyatt Lavergne, DeQuincy. . . . . . . . . . . . .119

2. Trent Broussard, Notre Dame. . . . . . . . . . . 69

3. Zach Reeves, Home School. . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

4. Jakob Simoneaux, Palmetto. . . . . . . . . . . . 24

5. Brant Schexnider, Kaplan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Steer Wrestling

1. Kole Landry, Teurlings Catholic. . . . . . . . . 66

2. Ryden Martin, Sulphur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58.5

3. Hudson Gros, Sulphur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

4. Jayden Nunez, S. Cameron. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

5. Turbo Baxter, Slaughter Charter. . . . . . . . . 35

Team Roping

1. Guynn Austin, Home School

Wyatt Sonnier, Welsh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .102

2. Darbi Demoss, Magnolia Bend

Wyatt Demoss, Magnolia Bend. . . . . . . .101

3. Grant Boudeaux, Church Point

Faith Dubois, Home school. . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

4. Grace Dubois, Devillier Institute

Kayson Lasyone, Magnolia Bend. . . . . . . . 92

5. Bill Odell, Liberty

Tucker Wright, Kinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

Tie-down Roping

1. Cougar Racca, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

2. John Murphy, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

3. Bill Odell, Liberty High. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

4. Shadd Huffman, Bell City. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

4. Cruz Melanson, Home school. . . . . . . . . . . 46

4. Carter Primeaux, Erath. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Completed Events

Boys Cutting

1. Trever Trahan, Agape Christian. . . . . . 49.05

2. Ike Little, Hackberry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46.5

Girls Cutting

1. Lydia Touchet, Lacassine. . . . . . . . . . . . .48.03

2. Sadie Steib, Catholic-PC. . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.35

3. Emma Berry, Vinton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43.28

4. Gemi Robinson, Magnolia Bend. . . . . . . 41.9

5. Lilly Sonnier, Iota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.45

Reined Cow Horse

1. Charli Wilkinson, Sulphur. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

2. Ike Little, Hackberry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31.9

3. Michelle Hesnor, Sacred Heart. . . . . . . . 28.4

4. Lydia Touchet, Lacassine. . . . . . . . . . . . . .25.6

5. Cooper Broussard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19.7