CHAMBERLAIN-It's been quite a year for Rich Marone.
The Chamberlain senior-to-be was a member of the Cubs football team, which reached the Class 11A playoffs, he was on the boys basketball team that placed fourth at the Class A state tournament and most recently, took second place in team roping at the South Dakota State High School Rodeo on June 16 in Belle Fourche.
"That's the highest I've ever placed at the state high school rodeo," Marone said. "It felt good. It was pretty cool."
Marone, who is the header, and his teammate Blair Lammers, who is the heeler, finished with 64 points, after entering the state rodeo with 25 points. The team recorded a time of 12.45 seconds in the first-go and had a time of 14.4 seconds in the second-go. In the short-go, the duo finished with a time of 9.31 seconds, for a total time of 36.16 seconds.
"In the first-go, we would've placed first, but my heeler only got one leg," Marone said. "We did the same thing in the second go. In the short-go, we were sitting second in points and third in average in time."
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Marone has worked with his partner Blair Lammers, a Hartford native, since he was an eighth-grader and has been team roping since he "could pick up a rope".
"We know what each other wants and what we need," Marone said. "We like to school on each other to make sure we're doing what's right for each other."
By finishing second place at the state rodeo, Marone and Lammers qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo. The national rodeo is held July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyoming.
"I'm really excited," Marone said. "I'm looking forward to spending time with friends and being able to compete at this high level."
This will be Marone's first appearance at the NHSFR and he said the goal is for the duo to place as high as it can at nationals.
Marone said the key to a good performance in team roping is to compete just like it was practice.
"Having a nice, clean fast time," Marone said. "Just be smooth and do what you are capable of doing."
Marone and 51 other South Dakota high school rodeo competitors qualified for the NHSFR. Other local qualifiers include: Wessington Springs' Tucker Easton (bull riding), Letcher's Bailey Moody (pole bending) and Parkston's Sydney Davidson (cutting).
