High school, junior high rodeo returns to Socorro for March 20–22 weekend

Hundreds of young rodeo athletes from across New Mexico will converge on the Socorro Rodeo Arena and Sports Complex March 20–22 as the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA) and New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Association (NMJHRA) open the second half of their spring season.

The three‑day event marks one of the longest‑running youth rodeo traditions in the country. Jayme Shiver, president of the NMHSRA and NMJHRA Board of Directors, said New Mexico is among the founding states of the national high school rodeo system.

“This is our 77th year,” Shiver said. “New Mexico was one of the original states to start high school rodeo.”

The Socorro stop is one of nine rodeo weekends held statewide each year. Shiver said the associations have about 180 high school competitors and roughly 100 junior high contestants, all of whom travel to every location on the schedule.

“They come from all over the state,” he said. “We even have a few kids who live in Texas but rodeo for New Mexico.”

Events include the full lineup of youth rodeo competition: roughstock, roping, barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying and other timed and judged events. Cutting and reined cow horse rounds will also take place Friday, March 20.

The Socorro rodeo begins with cutting at 2 p.m. Friday. A mandatory meeting for all contestants will be held at 8 a.m. Saturday, followed by a 9 a.m. rodeo start. Sunday’s competition begins at 8 a.m. Stock contractors for the weekend include Lance Wood (timed events), Darrell Triplett (goats) and Frontier Rodeo (roughstock).

Awards for the weekend include all‑around and event buckles. No dance is scheduled, and church services are still to be announced.

The Socorro event is one stop on the road to the state finals, which will be held May 21–24 in Lovington, NM. The top four competitors in each event at the end of the season will advance to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyoming, and the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City.

“They compete all year long,” Shiver said. “This is part of a national, really an international, system. Every state has a high school and junior high rodeo.”

 Callbacks will be available Wednesday, March 18, for contestants to confirm entries.

Reined cow horse competition will also take place Friday; contestants can contact coordinator Audra Powell at 575‑644‑8970 for details.

Stalls and hookups are available through the Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex reservation system, and panels may be set up as needed.

The full spring schedule, day sheets, photos and additional information are available on the NMHSRA website and Facebook page.