For More Information:
Mike Hausmann
Media Coordinator
National High School Rodeo Association
1-800-466-4772
mike@nhsra.org

October 18, 2007

The State of New York Joins the Ranks of the NHSRA

Denver , Colorado – The National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) is pleased to announce that the state of New York has become an official member of the Association. The New York High School Rodeo Association was officially welcomed to the ranks of the NHSRA by the Association’s Board of Directors at the 2007 National High School Finals Rodeo on July 29 th in Springfield, Illinois.

Following months of organization and planning, the state held its first official high school rodeo on October 13th and 14th in Johnstown, New York at the Frank Hernandez Arena, located approximately twenty miles southeast of Albany.

“This is an exciting time for us,” says Bill Dingman, New York’s National Director. “So much work has been put into the creation of this association and we are so happy to see this happen. It is truly special.”

Prior to the creation of the New York association, rodeo students who live in the area were forced to cross stat e and international lines in order to compete. Now, however, many of them have chosen to become the inaugural members of the New York High School Rodeo Association. The state has also launched its own chapter of the NHSRA Wrangler Junior High Division, which was created in 2004 for sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students. The Division, which is designed to serve as a feeder-system into the NHSRA, has experienced record growth every year of its existence.

“We are so pleased to welcome the New York group into the ranks of the NHSRA,” says Kent Sturman, NHSRA Executive Director. “The addition of New York represents a significant step in spreading the sport of high school rodeo into every corner of North America and beyond. In 2004, we were thrilled to welcome the state of Alaska into the Association. And today, it is refreshing to see yet another state become a member of our extended family.”

Following its 2007-2008 rodeo season, New York will join the remaining NHSRA states, Canadian provinces, and Australia in sending athletes to the 2008 Wrangler Junior High Finals Rodeo, June 29-July 5, in Gallup, New Mexico, and the 2008 National High School Finals Rodeo, July 21-27 in Farmington, New Mexico. For more information on the New York High School Rodeo Association, please contact Bill Dingman, New York National Director, at 518-654-2366.

The NHSRA is one of the fastest growing youth organizations in the United States, with an annual membership of over 10,500 students from forty-one U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, and Australia. The Association sanctions over 1,100 rodeos on an annual basis. The NHSRA is governed by a national Board of Directors, which consists of one member from each state or province. A staff at the national headquarters in Denver, Colorado handles the day-to-day operations. For more information on the NHSRA, please visit the Association ’ s official website located at www.nhsra.org.

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