Local cowboys and cowgirls participated and performed well in the Illinois Junior Rodeo Association (IJRA) this past summer, 2009. Coltin (Cowboy) Rauch, Ella Rauch, and Douglas Rich of Herrick, Illinois participated in the IJRA this past summer completing the state finals July 12-13 at Hopedale Rawlings Arena.

Cowboy Rauch was in the 3rd-5th grade division as a 3rd grader and placed 1st in the Breakaway Roping, 1st in the Team Roping, 4th in the Goat Tying, and 5th in the Steer Daubing, which won him the All-Around Cowboy buckle for the weekend. For the year-end awards, Cowboy won 1st in the Breakaway Roping, 1st in the Team Roping, 2nd in the Goat Tying, 3rd in the Steer Daubing, and was the All-Around Cowboy which won him a saddle for this award. This is Cowboy’s 4th saddle he has won in the Illinois Junior Rodeo Association. He is now a 4th grader at the Cowden-Herrick Grade school.

Ella Rauch participated in the IJRA this year as her 1st year as a kindergartener. She won 7th place in the Goat Tail Tying, 4th in the Barrel Racing, and 5th in the Pole Bending for the year-end awards. Cowboy and Ella are the children of Ryan and Wendy Rauch and the grandchildren of Joe and Kathy Rauch of Herrick, Barb Tipsword and Jed Stevens, and Dennis Tipsword and Bonnie Hicks of Pana.

Douglas Rich participated in the 6th–8th grade division as his last year in the IJRA. Douglas has been in IJRA since he was in kindergarten.

For the State Finals, Douglas won 1st in the Step Down Calf Roping, 1st in the Team Roping with his partner Cole Gibson from Petersburg, Illinois, 2nd in the Goat Tying, and 3rd in the Chute Dogging, which won him the All-Around Cowboy Belt Buckle for the weekend. For the year-end awards, Douglas won 1st in the Step Down Calf Roping, 1st in the Team Roping with his partner Cole Gibson from Petersburg, Illinois, 1st in the Goat Tying, and 1st in the Chute Dogging, to win him the All-Around Cowboy saddle for the year-end. Douglas is the son of Lonnie and Cindy Rich and grandson of Fay Rich of Herrick, and Bob Snow of Bingham.

The Illinois Junior Rodeo Association (IJRA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing a forum for young cowboys and cowgirls to learn and develop sportsmanship, character, horsemanship, and other rodeo skills and to compete with other children their own age in a family environment.

Participation in IJRA is open to Illinois residents from kindergarten through eighth grade or before they have reached the age of 15. Eligibility is determined by the age of the contestant. Competing classed are divided by gender and age in Kindergarten–2nd grade, 3rd–5th grade, and 6th–8th grade. Events for each age division consist of Breakaway Roping or Step Down Calf Roping, Team Roping, Goat Tail tying or Goat tying, Steer Daubing or Chute Dogging, Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, and Calf, Steer, or Junior Bull Riding.

IJRA membership and payment of insurance are mandatory for participation in the association prior to the first rodeo. Western attire is also required. There are different districts in Illinois and generally there are 3 rodeos and the state finals each year starting Memorial Day weekend through July or August of the year. Each district has a rodeo and then the state finals can be at any place in the state.

For more information please check the website at HYPERLINK "http://www.ijra.info" www.ijra.info or you may call Wendy Rauch at 618-428-5967.