Slippery Rock’s Shamblin, Moniteau’s McGuire to compete in national high school rodeo event
They were practically born for this moment.
Slippery Rock High School junior Klint Shamblin and Moniteau junior Riley McGuire have both qualified to compete in the 76th annual National High School Finals Rodeo, slated for July 14-20 in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
This will be Shamblin’s second successive appearance in the NHSFR. He placed 37th out of 200 competitors in steer wrestling last year. McGuire qualified this season, his first year of competing in high school rodeos.
“My dad rode bulls and my mom barrel raced,” Shamblin said. “I’ve been going to rodeos before I could walk. I got involved in them at a very young age.”
“My dad was a first-generation cowboy and a steer wrestler,” McGuire said. “My older brother did steer wrestling five or six years ago and I went to a lot of rodeos with family to watch him. I only started getting involved as a competitor myself in the past couple of years.”
McGuire competes in saddle bronc riding.
Shamblin and McGuire have been friends practically from birth. Their parents are close and the families live within a half-mile of each other.
“They practically grew up together,” said Kevin Shamblin, Klint’s father. “It’s not surprising at all they’re as close friends as they are.”
Both compete in a winter rodeo series at the Sundance Arena in Fredonia, Mercer County. That’s a five-rodeo series held during the winter. It’s a 40-minute drive from Slippery Rock and they go there to practice once a week as well during the winter.
McGuire said they have a rodeo school, in the arena “and taking those classes have really helped me.”
The NHSFR features more than 1,700 contestants from 44 states, five Canadian provinces, Australia, Mexico and New Zealand. It is considered the world’s largest rodeo.
Along with competing for more than $150,000 in prizes and over $200,000 in added money, NHSFR contestants will also compete for more than $375,000 in college scholarships and the opportunity to be named an NHSFR world champion.
“Yiou have to get your first two steers to finish among the top 20 and go for the world title,” Shamblin said. “Do that and you advance to the final round that Saturday night. My goal this year is to get into the top 20 and go from there.”
Shamblin hopes to compete in rodeo in college. He is considering Missouri Valley and Tennessee Martin.
“Getting some scholarship money would be nice,” he said.
McGuire is considering collegiate rodeo as well, “though I haven’t quite decided on that yet.”
With this being his first NHSFR competition, McGuire said he just wants to do his best.
“I’m not worried about winning or anything like that,” he said. “Just relax, do what I do and see where it takes me. I’d love to be named APRA (American Professional Rodeo Association) Rookie of the Year, though.”
Though they compete in different events, Shamblin and McGuire are always on hand to support each other.
“I’m at Riley’s event doing what I can to help, whether it’s with the saddle or whatever, and he comes by to help me out for mine,” Shamblin said. “We’ve always been there for each other.”
Shamblin plays football and wrestles at Slippery Rock High School. McGuire played both sports at Moniteau until seventh grade before eventually getting involved in rodeo.
