Popko qualifies for Silver State

Kerry Popko didn’t achieve her goal of qualifying for the National High School Rodeo Association’s national finals, but her Pole Bending performance at the California High School Rodeo Association state finals earned her a trip to the Silver State competition July 2-8 in Fallon, NV.

“It went really well,” Popko said of the CHSRA state finals held June 18-23 in Bishop.

Popko won two of her three performances and would have won all three had she not incurred a five-second penalty for knocking down a pole in the second go-round. Although neither of those performance times would hold up to win the go-round, she took victory laps after those two performance wins.

“I really didn’t go in there expecting to get the fast times,” Popko said.

Popko first competed in the evening performance June 18 and had a run of 21.041 seconds. Faster times in subsequent performances relegated Popko to third in the go-round. “It sped up and got faster,” she said.

Popko would have had a time of 20.718 seconds on her second run, which took place the morning of June 21, but the tipped pole added five seconds to her official time. “I was so confident going into that run,” she said.

Popko, who rides Banjo, doesn’t blame her 15-year-old horse. “It wasn’t a mistake at all. He just didn’t take an extra step coming around that pole,” she said. “My horse had a really nice run going.”

Popko and Banjo recovered to post a time of 20.807 seconds for the morning June 22 performance. “He worked so hard,” Popko said of Banjo. “I’m really proud of him for the week.”

During the third go-round Banjo hit a ridge of dirt between poles. “The ground was so bad,” Popko said. “That cost him a lot of time.”

Popko’s time ended up placing fourth in the third go-round. Her time of 67.566 seconds on three runs, including the five-second penalty, placed her 17th after the three go-rounds. The top 15 riders in the average advanced to the short go, eliminating Popko from further competition.

Banjo had one more run, as former Bonsall resident Destri Devenport borrowed the horse for the short go. Devenport, who had entered the short go in 12th place, was second in the short

go with a time of 20.515 seconds.

The point system which determines the top year-end finishers in the state also factors district positions, and Popko placed ninth in the state following the CHSRA finals. Popko, who was a junior at Fallbrook High School during the 2006-07 District 8 season, had finished second in the district standings.

The top four finishers in each event at the state finals qualify for the National High School Rodeo Association national finals. The fifth-place through ninth-place finishers qualify for the Silver State competition in Fallon. “I’m excited about that,” Popko said. “I wasn’t expecting to move up that many places.”

Popko was also selected by her fellow competitors as the student Pole Bending director for the state finals. “I think it was a really great opportunity for me,” she said.