Featured image: Jake Wells and Alec Edmondson competing in the Georgia High School State Championship.

By Marla Jones, Sports Editor

marla@southerntorch.com

RAINSVILLE, Ala.— Many young boys and girls have played cowboys growing up.  Most have dreamed of becoming a big star, for Jake Wells and Alec Edmondson, their dream came true when they won the Georgia High School Rodeo State Championship recently,

While many high school graduates left on their Senior trip, Jake and Alec stayed home to practice for their upcoming State Championship Rodeo.  They practiced into the wee hours of the morning and several times throughout the day. Rodeo is a little different from other sports because you do not have a coach to schedule and oversee practices.  The boys have Alec’s Grandfather, Junior Mattox, Shane Edmondson and Billy Berry to show them the “ropes” in rodeo.  Alec’s father, Shane Edmondson and his roping partner, Billy Berry have roped professionally for many years.

The Team Roping State Rodeo Championship was held at Perry, Georgia.  When the dust settled in Perry, the boys had won a State Championship and received college scholarships.  The pair plan to attend Northeast Alabama Community College for their first year and then transfer to a University with a college rodeo team. Until then, they will continue to compete in the Professional Cowboy Association Rodeos and in the United States Team Ropings in the Southeast.

The State Championship win qualified the team to compete for a national championship July 18-23 in Gillette, Wyoming at the National High School Finals Rodeo.