Sports

Four-time Oklahoma State All-Around Champ Chaley Hext sets her sights on going pro

In June 1993, The Record published a special edition celebrating the 125th anniversary of Canadian’s historic Fourth of July Rodeo. Then ten-year-old Chaley Hext was featured in a story, titled, “A Future Face of Canadian Cowgirls.”

Famous rodeo professionals Brandon Dunn and Ken Stonecipher are making their way to Canadian for the 4th of July Rodeo. Dunn is an experienced entertainer and barrelman, whereas Stonecipher is a multifaceted, talented announcer. Both are respected in their fields and greatly loved by audiences.

The announcing, jokes, and skits make the show fun to watch, but barrelmen and announcers play a bigger role in rodeos than some might realize.

Hemphill County will be well-represented on the state of Oklahoma team that competes in next month’s National High School Finals in Lincoln, Nebraska. Five local rodeoers have qualified for the nationals.

Canadian barrel racer Tamara Reinhardt won double honors in Oklahoma’s National Barrel Horse Association state finals held last weekend. Reinhardt and Imareddie Ta Fly placed second in Sunday’s Open with a time of 16.350, right behind Amanda Clark and Dancin For Fame with their 16.311 run. Reinhardt collected a $1,866 payout, and picked up both the Senior Champion—out of a field of 56 contestants—and the Open Reserve Champion Awards. The Open, Reinhardt said, was a clean-slate final, in which each contestant started with no time. It attracted 147 entries and included both men and women in all age groups. The event was held June 18-20 at the Stephens County Fairgrounds in Duncan, Oklahoma. Reinhardt said it was “the toughest barrel race you’ll see anywhere,” calling it “very strong and professional.” Imareddie Ta Fly was a stand-in for her mare, Yessir Imareddie, who got sick before the event began, but responded well enough to treatment that Reinhardt was able to stick around and compete on her backup horse. “My gelding made four beautiful, consistent runs,” she said, “and won a check with every run. Mr. Consistent.”

Local riders compete at Junior High National Finals this week Flint Hill and Chaynee Slavin are in Des Moines, Iowa, this week, representing the states of Texas and Oklahoma in the Junior High National Finals Rodeo. Hill, riding for Team Texas, scored a 64 in the saddle bronc steer competition Monday night, and is now tied for sixth-place following the first go-round.

The Canadian Wildcat and Lady Cat basketball programs recently completed another successful summer of basketball camps over the past couple of weeks. Canadian girls’ basketball Head Coach Aaron Marks held the Lady Cats’ camp May 24-26, while the boys’ basketball camp, led by Wildcat Basketball Head Coach Brandon Wall, was held on June 1-3.

The Canadian Wildcat football team earned high praise for a tremendous season during the 63rd Texas Panhandle Sports Hall of Fame banquet Sunday at the Amarillo Civic Center. The Wildcats won the Leslie and Nard Cazzell “Big Play” Memorial Award for Josh Culwell’s game-winning 52-yard touchdown pass to Reagan Cochran with 28 seconds left to beat Franklin 35-34 for the Class 3A Division II state championship at Arlington’s AT&T Stadium in December.

Canadian Middle School eighth-graders Flint Hill and Chaynee Slavin each qualified for the Junior High National Finals Rodeo, which will be held June 20-26, in Des Moines, Iowa. Hill rides for Team Texas.

Wildcat football is excited to be offering a football camp for grades 3-8 on Monday and Tuesday, July 26 and 27, at Wildcat Stadium. Camp will run from 9 am to 12 noon. Cost for the registration is $25 and includes a camp t-shirt. Registration forms will be available at the CISD business office, or upon request by emailing chris.koetting@canadianisd.net. For more information about the camp, shoot Koetting an email. Campers will be taught fundamentals for a variety of football positions. The camp is noncontact and there will be no pads or helmets involved. Drills will be geared toward the appropriate level of the players. Speed training and strength development will be introduced at appropriate levels. Campers will compete in a variety of individual and team contests. Teamwork, sportsmanship, and character will be emphasized.

Recent Canadian High School graduates Reagan Cochran, left, Colton Cooper, Ethan Jackson, and Twister Kelton represented the state championship Wildcat football program one final time as a part of the West team at the XXXIII K101 Classic Bowl in Woodward, Oklahoma, on Saturday. The East squad won 26-8. Cooper recovered a fumble in the game, and Cochran was honored with a $2,000 scholarship. PHOTO PROVIDED