Friday, March 29, 2024

Francis, Ross, Brinkley to compete in rodeo finals

Johnson County, Illinois, cowboys (from left) Tucker Francis, Kodee Ross and Tyler Brinkley will be competing in the National High School Rodeo Finals in July.
Johnson County, Illinois, cowboys (from left) Tucker Francis, Kodee Ross and Tyler Brinkley will be competing in the National High School Rodeo Finals in July.

Johnson County will be well represented at the National High School Rodeo Finals again this year.

Three Johnson County cowboys have advanced to compete with the best of the best in Rock Springs, Wyoming next month.

Tucker Francis, son of Keith “Weiner” and Joey Francis of Tunnel Hill, Tyler Brinkley, son of Kathy Strange of Simpson and Kodee Ross, son of Ty and Sherri Ross of Vienna, have earned their positions on the Illinois High School Rodeo Team recently at our State Finals in Altamont, Illinois.

Tucker and Tyler will be competing in bull riding and Kodee will be team roping and rifle and trap shooting.  Kodee has also been named Rookie of the Year at the State Finals.  It is a great honor and a huge accomplishment for these young men to do what they love and to compete with the great talent from all over the United States, Canada, British Colombia and Australia.

As in years past, they will be having some fundraising events to help with travel expense.  Fundraising dinner will be at Wildfires Restaurant in Vienna on Thursday, July 2 from 4:30 to closing, and at El Tequilas in Vienna on Tuesday, July 7th from 4:30 to closing.  The boys and their parents would love to have your support. So come on out to visit with the cowboys and eat some great food at our local restaurants.