HAMILTON - After countless weekends of training and competing, three area middle school students will be competing at the Wrangler Division Junior Rodeo National Finals in Gallup, N.M. on June 27 after strong performances in the state finals.

Will Powell, of St. Ignatius, Abby Knight, of Charlo, and Wyatt Lytton, of Ronan, all qualified for nationals after tremendous performances at the state finals in Hamilton last weekend.

"I never really get nervous," Powell said. "I just want to go and do my events."

The eighth grader from St. Ignatius will go to nations for Ribbon Roping with fellow Mission Valley resident Knight. They both won Rookie of the Year belt buckles and have really trained hard together to become adept at their team event.

"When we first started out, we couldn't catch a cow," Knight said.

The top three finishers in the state finals advance to the national finals through two long runs of the events and then a short go over three days of competition.

"The kids put in an awful lot of time," said Rocky Knight, Abby's mother.

They weren't the only ones hauling in the hardware, though, as Ronan's Robert Rider won the Best Foot Forward Award for most improved.

"He has a great attitude when things go to heck," said Rocky Knight.

For that, Rider got to pick out a brand new pair of cowboy boots that will be sent to him.

"It made me extremely proud," Dusty Rider, Robert's mother, said. "It makes you feel like you raised him right."

As for nationals, Powell's mother Patty said that he'll be training four days a week leading up to it now that school and baseball are over. Hopefully, he'll be able to get acclimated to the warmer climate in New Mexico.

"They tell me its 100 degrees in the shade," Patty Powell said.

Knight will compete in barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, goat tying and ribbon roping.

Powell will compete in chute dogging, ribbon roping, breakaway roping and team toping,

Lytton will compete in team roping.

Also competing at the state finals was Nicole Lake, of Polson, and Callie Otoupalik, of Arlee.

Wrangler State Finals

Hamilton, Mont.

June 4-6

Short Go

Pole Bending

Abby Knight 27.33

(6 out of 16)

Chute Dogging

Will Powell 9.08

(5 out of 9)

Boys Breakaway

Robert Rider 6.79

(3 out of 10)

Will Powell 3.80 + 10

(5 out of 11)

Girls Breakaway

Abby Knight 20.42

(3 out of 8)

Boys Goats

Robert Rider 16.86

(9 out of 10)

Girls Goats

Abby Knight 10.14

(3 out of 10)

Ribbon Roping

Will Powell/Abby Knight 15.65

(3 out of 10)

Team Roping

Will Powell/Brandon Yerrian 9.65

(1 out of 7)

Wyatt Lytton/Colton John 17.19 (2 out of 7)

Barrels

Abby Knight 19.65

(8 out of 10)

1st Long Go

Pole Bending

Abby Knight 23.08

(3 out of 16)

Chute Dogging

Will Powell 24.70

(8 out of 9)

Boys Breakaway

Robert Rider 7.39

(5 out of 11)

Will Powell 4.58

(3 out of 11)

Girls Breakaway

Abby Knight NT

Boys Goats

Robert Rider 18.65

(8 out of 10)

Girls Goats

Abby Knight 12.35

(4 out of 15)

Ribbon Roping

Will Powell/Abby Knight 27.44

(5 out of 12)

Team Roping

Will Powell/Brandon Yerrian 22.97 +5

(1 out of 7)

Wyatt Lytton/Colton John 27.79 +15

(2 out of 17)

Barrels

Abby Knight 18.94

(5 out of 16)

2nd Long Go

Pole Bending

Abby Knight 22.09

(3 out of 16)

Chute Dogging

Will Powell 4.40 (2 out of 9)

Boys Breakaway

Robert Rider NT

Wil Powell 3.51

(3 out of 11)

Girls Breakaway

Abby Knight 6.20

(1 out of 8)

Boys Goats

Robert Rider 15.87

(8 out of 12)

Girls Goats

Abby Knight 11.13

(3 out of 15)

Ribbon Roping

Will Powell/Abby Knight (5 out of 12)

Team Roping

Will Powell/Brandon Yerrian 14.98

(1 out of 7)

Wyatt Lytton/Colton John NT

Barrels

Abby Knight 19.04

(7 out of 16)