Youth rodeo team advances to world finals

Five area children associated with Rim Rock Ranch near House recently won the Working Ranch Cowboy Association's Youth Ranch Rodeo in Colorado and will advance to the world finals in November.

Rim Rock Ranch, owned by Bill Angell, is represented by team members Stoney Price, 16; Haize Price, 12; Karlee Elliott, 16; Chantzee Elliott, 14; and Maryann Estrada, 6. They competed at a WRCA Youth Ranch Rodeo in Hugo, Colorado.

Stoney and Haize live at Rim Rock and are the sons of foreman Chris Price and his wife Chell. Stoney attends House Municipal Schools, and Haize is homeschooled.

Karlee and Chantzee are the daughters of Steve and Jaree Elliott, who live on the family ranch between Grady and Forrest, attend school at Melrose.

Maryann, the daughter of Donny and Casey Estrada, lives near Trementina, where Donny also works for Angells.

To meet WRCA Youth rules, there must be five members on a team, all must be members of WRCA, and the collective age must be 65 years or fewer as of Jan. 1.

Jaree Elliott, a parent of two of the Rim Rock Ranch team members, stated in an email the team secured the championship during the last event, steer riding.

"When it came their turn, they knew they had to be a 17-second run to win the rodeo," she wrote. "It was an exciting run, and the Rim Rock kids did just that! They ended up with a 15-second run, putting them first in that event, and earning them the champion title for the rodeo."

The team members earned $1,200 in cash, gift cards from Cavender's western wear, headstalls, championship jackets and their world championship entires paid by the Colorado rodeo.

Haize Price was awarded Top Hand and received a pair of handmade split reins.

Karlee Elliott's horse, Pinon, was awarded Top Horse; it and Karlee also earned a pair of handmade split reins.

The Rim Rock Ranch team will compete at the Youth Working Cowboy Ranch Rodeo World Finals on Nov. 12 at the Amarillo Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas.