Seventh Grader at Blue Ridge Middle Riding since Age 4
The National High School Rodeo Association Wrangler Division, the newest junior high school rodeo program in America has appointed Leah Hunter, daughter of Rock and Jenny Hunter of Greer and a seventh grader at Blue Ridge Middle School, to the NHSRA Wrangler Division All Star Rodeo Team.
The Wrangler Division All-Star Rodeo Team is fashioned after Wrangler’s Champion Pro Rodeo Team.
Miss Hunter earned a position on the All Star Team based on leadership qualities, academic eligibility and athletic achievements.
Leah has been riding horses since she was 4 years old. This is her second year riding for the Wrangler Rodeo.
Last year she won the Sportsmanship Award at the Wrangler Rodeo finals in Clemson. She competes in the barrels, pole bending, and goat tying competition. She also competes in ribbon roping with partner Tyler Kidd from Statesville, N. C. Her next performance will be at Circle M in Pelzer, January 22, 2010.
She will be competing at Marietta, May 15, and the competition finals are set for the last week in May at Clemson.
Leah works with her father at the family business and sells calendars and other items for the rodeo association to help pay entry fees.
Jenny Hunter, a teacher at Mountain View Elementary School, said she is extremely proud of the dedication her daughter has demonstrated to improve her riding. “She would rather clean the barn than her room even when the temperature is 22 degrees,” her mother said last week.
Leah is a member of the Greenville County 4-H Horse Club and on the all A honor roll at Blue Ridge Middle School.
“We are excited to expand Wrangler’s rodeo sponsorship program at the middle school level,” said Jeff Chadwick, Special Events Manager for Wrangler Rodeo. “As always, it gives us a tremendous sense of pride to associate the Wrangler brand with promising young men and women. We’re confident each member of the team will be an outstanding goodwill ambassador for the sport of rodeo.”
The Wrangler All Star Teams participate in 41 states, 5 Canadian Provinces and Australia. Members of the Wrangler Division All Star Rodeo Team receive official competition apparel consisting of a Wrangler Twenty X shirt embroidered with the team logo and one pair of competition jeans. In addition, team members receive an official team certificate signed by President of Wrangler jeans and shirts, Phil McAdams.
