Top Tennessee teen takes 20th in national junior rodeo competition

SCOTTS HILL, Tenn. — Two local West Tennessee teens competed for national titles during the junior rodeo and one placed 20th nationally with competitors also from Canada and Australia.

To compete in the national competition, you have to be in the top four in the state where there are over 1,000 competitor battling it out for national titles.

With the national competition behind them, these top Tennessee competitors are back to practice, Tuesday.

“It takes a lot of hours in the practice pen — sweat, tears, blood,” said Blaize Deere. Deere holds the is the first place title overall for females in the junior rodeo.

There are 1,050 competitors including the top four from every state as well as people from Canada and Australia.  Zane White from Scotts Hill placed 20th in two different divisions.

“It feels pretty good. I’ve worked all year and tired my hardest to get there. So it feels pretty good,” said White.

There are four categories within the competitions that included goat tying and a breakaway but you don’t get to the top with out hard work and practice.

“I do something every day. I do it as long as I got time to do it. I try to ride my horse for an hour or so, maybe longer,” said White.

And It’s the fun of competing that keeps them coming back. “All the hard work pays off,” said Deere.

“I got good friends doing it, I enjoy it, it’s fun and I’m around a lot of good people,” said White.

They get to hold their titles for a year before having re-compete for it.