Stihl Yardley, an eighth-grade student at W. Mack Lyon Middle School, has earned a position on the Arizona State National Junior High rodeo team and will be traveling with fellow teammates to Guthrie, Oklahoma, June 21 through June 27, to compete at the 21st annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) in breakaway and boys goat tying competitions.

Featuring roughly 1,200 contestants from 43 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Guatemala and Mexico, the NJHFR is the world’s largest junior high rodeo. In addition to competing for more than $80,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be competing for more than $200,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo World Champion.

To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top-20 based on their combined times/scores in the first two go-rounds to advance to Saturday evening’s final round. World champions will then be determined based on their three go-round combined times and scores. Added money for the optional jackpot has increased to $100,000 and is available to everyone at finals who enters the jackpot in their event. Again, this year, the Saturday championship performance will be televised nationally as a part of the Cinch High School Rodeo Tour telecast series on the Cowboy Channel. Live broadcasts of all NJHFR performances will air on cowboychannelplus.com. Performance times are 7 p.m. on June 22 and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day thereafter.

Along with great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NJHFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy shooting sports, volleyball, contestant dances, family-oriented activities, church services sponsored by Golden Spur Ministries and shopping at the NJHFR trade show, as well as visit area attractions.

To follow your local favorites at the NJHFR, visit NHSRA.com daily for complete results. For ticket information and reservations, go to nhsra.com/juniorhighfinals/.