Kanarraville’s Coronado wins cutting competition, all-around cowgirl honors at rodeo state finals

McKenna Coronado of Cedar Rodeo Club stands next to saddles she won for taking first place in cutting and all-around at the Utah High School Rodeo Association's state finals rodeo, Wasatch County, Utah, June 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of McKenna Coronado, St. George News / Cedar City News

CEDAR CITY — Several Southern Utah athletes placed highly at the Utah High School Rodeo Association’s state finals rodeo.

The statewide event, which attracted dozens of top male and female rodeo athletes from all around Utah, was held June 5-8 in Wasatch County.

Leading the way was McKenna Coronado of the Cedar Rodeo Club, who took home the grand prize saddle for winning top all-around cowgirl honors.

Coronado, a resident of Kanarraville, also took first place in the cutting competition, in addition to placing second in pole bending and ninth in both barrel racing and breakaway roping.

Coronado told Cedar City News her senior year was somewhat challenging, as she had to work with some new horses.

McKenna Coronado of Cedar Rodeo Club stands with family members next to saddles she won for taking first place in cutting and all-around at the Utah High School Rodeo Association’s state finals rodeo, Wasatch County, Utah, June 8, 2019 | Photo courtesy of McKenna Coronado, St. George News / Cedar City News

“I had to jump on some new horses, some younger horses, plus some experienced horses,” she said during a recent telephone interview. “There definitely were trials to achieve my goals on the younger ones, versus some that I had started and I had put a lot of work into, to achieve goals on them. But it was really rewarding and it was an honor to be able to get on their backs, because they’re also very talented.”

“During my senior year, there were definitely lots of trials, but overall there were a lot of rewarding accomplishments,” Coronado added. “I’m just excited to be headed to nationals again.”

Coronado, who won both the all-around title and the cutting championship at the National High School Rodeo last year, says she is looking forward to defending her cutting title next month in Wyoming.

The cutting event involves riding and guiding a well-trained horse to separate three cows from a herd within a 2 ½ minute time limit.

Coronado says she gets plenty of practice at home as she helps her parents, Mike and Becky Coronado, raise and train cutting horses on the family ranch in Kanarraville.

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Senior Contestant Spotlight!! Kenna Coronado Proud Parents: Becky & Mike Coronado Rodeo Club: Cedar Rodeo Club Kenna has had a lot of great mentors but Kelli Thouvenell and Shaun Tree have helped her reach her goals. Kenna's biggest goal she had set in high school rodeo was to go to Nationals and to win a national title which she was able to accomplish last year when she won the all around title and girls cutting title. Her goals for the future are to attend veterinarian school and to continue her passion by caring for horses. High school rodeo has taught her to work hard and to have the responsibility of caring for her equine athletes. She has learned many life lessons a long with the wins and the good times she has learned to overcome hard times and struggles. She has learned to keep her goals in sight and stay dedicated to the goals she has set.

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She plans to attend Utah State University in Logan this fall and eventually hopes to enroll in veterinary school at Colorado State University.

Additionally, several other Southern Utah student athletes placed highly in state finals events, including those listed below. Note that both the Cedar and the Dixie rodeo clubs include students from multiple high schools located within their respective geographical areas.

File photo shows Kanarraville’s McKenna Coronado winning the cutting and all-around championships at the National High School Rodeo finals, July 21, 2018, Rock Springs, Wyo. | Photo courtesy of Acentric Photo, St. George News / Cedar City News
  • Kash Catoor, Cedar, 2nd in tiedown roping, 2nd in team roping.
  • Brek Sanderson, Cedar, 1st in bull riding, 5th in steer wrestling.
  • Chancey Richards, Panguitch, 2nd in bull riding.
  • Bubba Holcomb, Dixie, 2nd in bareback riding.
  • Macee McAllister, Dixie, 3rd in barrel racing.
  • Amy Mason, Enterprise, 4th in goat tying.
  • Staheli Adams, Cedar, 2nd in goat tying.
  • Curry Wilkins, Dixie, 2nd in rifle shoot.
  • Melroy Vigoren, Dixie, 3rd in rifle shoot.
  • Qade Adams, Cedar, 1st in trap shoot, 8th in rifle shoot.
  • TJ Bowler and Blake Bowler, Enterprise, 3rd in team roping.

For complete results of the 2019 Utah High School Rodeo finals, click here.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2019, all rights reserved.

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