The cowboys and cowgirls of Oneida County represented their community well at the Idaho High School State Rodeo Finals, held June 6–13 in Pocatello. The week-long competition featured daily rodeos and slack performances, culminating in three complete rodeos and a short go featuring the top 20 competitors in each event. High school rodeo athletes from across the state gathered to determine who would earn state honors and advance to the National High School Finals Rodeo.

After qualifying among the top 10 competitors in District 9, nine Oneida County athletes earned spots at state: Payton Johnson, Karsen Thornock, Bella Smith, Rusty Foy, Bronson Smith, Ruger Smith, Oak Smith, Colter Bennett, and Alex Marshall. Their events ranged from barrel racing and breakaway roping to tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, and rough stock events.

Payton Johnson entered the state finals with just eight season points but quickly climbed the standings with three consistent barrel racing runs that qualified her for the short go. There, she posted a time of 17.712 seconds to earn valuable points and finish the season in fourth place with 41 total points. Karsen Thornock also competed in barrel racing, putting together three solid runs but finishing outside the placings.

In girls breakaway roping, Bella Smith put together an impressive week. Entering the finals with 10 season points, she placed second in the first go but missed her calf in the second round. She rebounded with another placing in the third go before winning the short go on Saturday. When the final points were tallied, Smith finished second in the state standings and secured a trip to nationals.

It was a disappointing week in the bull riding arena for Rusty Foy and Bronson Smith. Both entered the finals with solid experience and season points, but neither was able to complete an eight-second ride during the competition.

Bronson Smith found success in saddle bronc riding, however. He placed third in the second go with a 60-point ride and followed that performance with a second-place finish in the short go. Those efforts secured him a third-place finish in the final season standings.

Senior Ruger Smith dominated the steer wrestling competition. Not only did he record a time in every go, but he also rose to the top of the leaderboard throughout the week. By the end of the finals, the Holbrook cowboy had pulled away from the competition to claim the state steer wrestling championship.

Colter Bennett, Alex Marshall, Bronson Smith, and Oak Smith also competed in steer wrestling. Bennett opened the week with an impressive win in the first go, posting a time of 4.970 seconds, but ultimately finished outside the top placings.

Bennett redeemed himself in tie-down roping, where he captured the state championship. He consistently placed near the top in each rodeo and accumulated enough points to move past the competition. Oak Smith remained in contention throughout the week, catching in every rodeo but finishing outside the points in several rounds. He ultimately finished sixth in the state standings. Ruger and Bronson Smith also competed in tie-down roping, but missed calves proved costly and kept them from challenging the leaders.

The Smith brothers, Ruger and Oak, along with Alex Marshall, competed in team roping but finished outside the top qualifiers.

The top four finishers in each event earned berths to the National High School Finals Rodeo, scheduled for July 19–25 in Lincoln, Nebraska. In an impressive accomplishment, five Oneida County athletes qualified for the national stage: Payton Johnson, Bella Smith, Bronson Smith, Ruger Smith, and Colter Bennett. They will travel to Nebraska this summer with hopes of bringing home national titles.