Stuva and others finish fall part of HS rodeo season

Carli Stuva finished up the fall season of Iowa High School Rodeo the first of October. She competed in 10 rodeos this fall and will finish up the season next spring with the remaining 12 rodeos. She is competing in six events this year. Her events include Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping, Team Roping, and Girls Cutting.

The fall season started in Moville Aug. 26-27. Each weekend she competes in two separate rodeos. The top 10 in each of the 12 events receive points towards year end awards. The top person receives 10 points and the second place receives 9 and so on. In Moville she received points in four of her six events, not catching her calf or steer which resulted in no times. She did manage to take an early lead in the Girls All Around race. This is where all her points are added together and she received more points than any other girl after the weekend. Stuva was named the 2022-23 Iowa High School All Around Cowgirl, a title she would like to be given again her senior year.

Labor Day weekend we found ourselves in northwest Iowa in Larchwood. Stuva switched team roping partners this year. She is partnering with a freshman, Katelynn Reser, from Corning. They were able to get their steer caught this weekend to place in the team roping standings. She also caught her calf one day and started earning points there as well. She had some tough luck in the poles this weekend, not earning any points. But she took home two wins in the girls cutting giving her the lead in that event. She also received points in the goats both days leaving her in the top 4.

September 9-10 we were close to home in Adel. Back on her main pole mount, Stuva finished with a second and a fourth to help gain some lost points. She also had an amazing barrel run on Saturday for a second place finish. With two low eight-second goat runs she finished top 5 both days. She was also first and second in cutting. She decided to switch up her breakaway horse and ride one that she has done all of the training on herself. They went out on Saturday and roped her calf in 4.516 seconds for a second place finish. Star worked amazing for her.

The Stuvas took a weekend off before heading to the southeast corner of the state to Fort Madison. Carli had a great barrel weekend finishing first and third. Two second places in girls cutting. A fourth place in goats and two top 10 runs in poles.

Wrapping up the fall events in Waterloo, Stuva had an amazing weekend here! She placed first and second in the barrel racing, fourth and seventh in breakaway, second and third in the cutting, a win in the goat tying coming very close to her personal best time. She also placed first and third in the poles. In the team roping, she and Kate are having some growing pains, but I can bet they are going to be practicing hard up until spring rodeos where they are going to make up some much needed points.

As the dust has settled for the winter months, Carli finds herself sitting in the number one spot in the girls cutting for the state of Iowa. She is sitting third in barrel racing and goat tying, fourth in poles, 10th in breakaway and 15th in team roping. In June when the final rodeo is over, the top four from each event will go on to the National Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, WY in July.

Also competing this year from this area were Grace Day and Lillie Strode.

Day finishes the fall portion 22nd in barrel racing, 24th in breakaway roping and 30th in pole bending.

The spring rodeos will start back up in May with rodeos in Estherville, Marshalltown, Sidney, Carson and the Iowa Finals in Bloomfield. Those who are interested in attending are reminded these rodeos are free to attend.