MV Children Attend Exceptional Rodeo

by Tim Robison
Moapa Valley Progress

A group of exceptional students and their teachers from Ute Perkins and Grant Bowler Elementary schools traveled to Las Vegas to participate in the Exceptional Rodeo on December 10, 2007. The Exceptional Rodeo was held at the Thomas and Mack Center in conjunction with the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

“The nine students from the Valley went to the rodeo,” said Anna Becker, of Grant Bowler Elementary School. “As soon as they arrived they were given a cowboy hat, a lasso, and a tee shirt.”

According to Becker the students were paired with an actual participant in the National Finals Rodeo who showed them how to ride a horse and rope hay steers. Finally, each of the students took pictures with their cowboy or cowgirl mentors.

At the end of the Exceptional Rodeo, the students received a trophy for exceptional learning they did at the rodeo. One of Moapa Valley’s very own cowboys, Kris Rushing of Grant Bowler Elementary School, was named the overall winner of the Exceptional Rodeo.

The students who participated included Kris Rushing, Kayla Rushing, Andrew Leach, Kody Morgan, Joshua Garcia, Jorge Cervantes, Kaili Waite, Michaela Robison, Cody Jessen, and Lane Miller. Teachers and staff attending included Anna Becker, Nancy Grimes, Barbara Trombley, Kristi Taylor, Deb Bagley, and Pam Bundy.