Paso Robles teen wins spot on California rodeo team

July 12, 2016

A 9th grade student at Independence High School in Paso Robles qualified as a member of the California National High School Rodeo Team to compete in the World Championship High School National Finals.

For the first time, in the 2015 season, LaRae Luis, 15, competed in the High School Rodeo competition representing District 7, also known as The Magnificent 7. She entered six events including poles, barrels, breakaway, team roping, cutting and reined cow horse.

Luis’s wins in cutting and reined cow horse events moved her to the state championships in Bishop, Calif. At the state finals, Luis qualified in the reined cow horse event to represent California at the July 17 through July 23 World Championship High School National Finals in Wyoming.

Luis will be competing against 112 of the top competitors from around the world in her event.

In the Luis family, high school rodeo is a family tradition. Luis’s father, brothers and uncle have all been past High School Rodeo Champions. Luis plans to leave for Wyoming on Thursday.