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An 18-year-old from Stapleton, Nebraska, won the steer wrestling competition at the National High School Finals Rodeo this past weekend.
Coy Johnston clocked a cumulative time of 13.79 seconds over his three runs, which was the lowest average time across the 126 contestants.
“I felt pretty confident in myself,” he said. “The plan going out there was to win the whole thing. I was a state champ so I kind of kept the momentum going but lately my rodeoing has been going pretty dang good.”
Johnston will enter his senior year of high school in Stapleton, a village of nearly 270 people about 30 miles northeast of North Platte. He said hopes to continue steer wrestling through college – and hopefully, one day, make the National Finals Rodeo.
“We're just gonna keep rodeoing while I'm confident and we're on top,” he said.
Johnston was one of 55 Nebraskans who took part in the 2022 finals held in Gillette, Wyoming.
Three other Nebraskans finished in the top 10 of their competitions. Leif Meidell from Harrison placed fourth in the saddle-bronc competition. Bo Bushhousen from St. Libory placed seventh in the boys cutting, and Sid Miller from Merna placed eighth in tie-down roping.
Lincoln played host to last year’s competition.