York Rookie of the Year

The National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) finals were held in Gillette July 16-22. Wyoming boys' team placed sixth and the girls' team seventh. Wyoming also got bragging rights when Valley native, Kasen York, won Cowboy Rookie of the Year with 306 points. To give perspective, the second place winner, Tom Crouse from Missouri, had 170 points.

There were 1,400 high school contestants from 44 states and two Canadian provinces competing.

York, whose family resides at the Silver Spur Ranch, said he was a little nervous about going to his first national finals, but he was also excited.

"I roped for a long time and I have cowboyed a lot, but I never really rodeoed or anything like that," York said.

His mother influenced him with her own skills in cutting although it was not his favorite event to participate in.

"My Mom showed cutters and I showed a little bit, but I never really got into it. Cutting is basically a herd of cattle where a cow is pulled out and it is the job of the horse to keep the cow from joining back into the herd," explained York, "Then I showed a little of cow horse and decided I really liked that, so I went to work for a cow horse trainer last summer in Walsh, Colorado named Kyle Trahern."

After working for Trahern all last summer, York came back to the Valley. Trahern joined the Silver Spur Ranch and York continued to learn from the man who had enhanced his enjoyment of cow horse.

This was York's first year to do any rodeoing and he didn't know what to expect.

"We had our first cow horse and cutting fall last year," said York. "It went real well and I got points there."

He said he did well in cow horse, but cutting was more hit or miss.

"Overall the year was pretty good," said York. "I went to the state finals in June and I won all three rounds there in the cow horse."

Realizing he was going to the nationals, he got his cow horse prepared.

York said he had hoped to have done better in the reined cow horse event, but is happy winning Cowboy Rookie of the Year.

The 16-year-old York went to school in Encampment until eighth grade and then opted to be home schooled as he got more involved with cow horse training and helping more around the ranch. He said he can be up early and get his schooling done by noon, which opens his day to practice. In addition, he doesn't have to worry about missing days of school when he goes to shows because he can take his lessons with him.

He is serious about his education because he envisions college in his future. After graduating, he wants to train cow horses.

York says once high school is over, he thinks he will be done with rodeoing even though he has companies sponsoring him.

"I can still get all the endorsements showing cow horses, so I don't need to be a rodeo cowboy for that," said York.

He is thankful for all the support he has had in the past year saying, "I have to thank my sponsors for having faith in me, my parents for hauling me around all year and keeping me with good horses and Kyle for all his help."

York won't win Cowboy Rookie of the Year in the 2017-2018 NHSRA finals, but he is hoping for a great rodeo