Contestants take a deep breath, slowly exhale half the air in their lungs, hold, relax, and squeeze the trigger. Downrange, paper targets begin filling with holes as shooters fire the 12 rounds in this segment of the light rifle competition.
For many competitors, the Wisconsin High School Rodeo begins long before barrel racing, roping, or bull riding. Some of the state's top rodeo athletes spend hours behind rifles and shotguns, competing in precision shooting events where a single miss can separate champions from the rest of the field.
The Wisconsin High School Rodeo Association held light rifle and trap shooting competitions in Tomah as part of one of nine regional rodeos held across the state each year. The three-day event drew roughly 120 junior high and high school competitors from Wisconsin and neighboring states.
"These kids are trying to be the top four in each event to earn their way to nationals," said Chad Waldenberger, a board member with the Wisconsin High School Rodeo Association. "Just making the team in some of these events for the state of Wisconsin is pretty tough."
The light rifle uses a .22 caliber rifle. The competition consists of 36 total rounds fired from three positions — prone, kneeling, and standing — with 12 shots from each position, for a maximum possible score of 360 points. Trap shooters compete in a 100-bird event split into two rounds, 50 clays per round.
Competition at the top level can be intense. Waldenberger said, "A contestant shot a perfect 100 at last year's Holmen competition, with second place finishing at 99."
"To win this go today, you're probably going to have to be a 49 or a 50," he said while watching trap competitors, one of whom was his son Cole.
Wisconsin has produced several nationally recognized rodeo athletes, including recent national champions. Competitors who reach nationals face top contestants from nearly every U.S. state and Canadian province, as well as international participants from Mexico, Australia, and New Zealand.
"You are basically the best in the world at the high school level," Waldenberger said.
The shooting events also highlight a crossover between school shooting sports and rodeo competition. Many contestants compete on their local school trap teams while participating in rodeo events.
"The majority of these contestants shoot for their respective schools," Waldenberger said. "This is just another avenue for these kids to enjoy their hobbies."
Contestants can begin competing through the association in fifth grade and continue through high school. Waldenberger said many participants come from multi-generational rodeo families, while others, like his own family, found rodeo when their children became interested in competing.
Beyond competition, Waldenberger emphasized the culture surrounding rodeo. The rodeo community functions like an extended family, with some grandparents in the stands having competed decades earlier.
"Everyone here will do whatever is needed for any of these contestants," Waldenberger said. "That's truly how we treat it."
Competitors, Waldenberger said, focus less on beating others and more on improving themselves. "These are the farm kids. They come, and they're ready to work; they know what it takes, they know the commitment it is, and they have the drive to practice enough to be successful. You don't go out there on the weekends and be successful without doing something all week long."
While the competition is strong, the competitors don't see each other as people they have to beat; they are all competing against themselves and their best scores. "They look at it as, 'I want to beat my best score. I'm not out there to beat that individual,'" he said.
The Wisconsin High School Rodeo Association hosts competitions throughout the school year, with regional events in communities such as Holmen, Arcadia, and Richland Center.
The shooting portion of the Tomah Regional Rodeo was held Friday, while the rest of the rodeo events take place Saturday and Sunday at the Monroe County Fairground in Tomah.
Anyone interested in more information or joining the fun can visit the Tomah High School Regional Rodeo Association Facebook page at facebook.com/tomahrodeotime or visit the Wisconsin High School Rodeo Association page at whsra.org
For many families, the Wisconsin High School Rodeo is more than competition — it is a lifestyle passed through generations, where weekends are spent together, and success is measured as much by character as championships.
Links
https://whsra.org/
https://www.facebook.com/tomahrodeotime/
Upcoming rodeo events
Arcadia, WI - Regional JR and HS Rodeo
May 22 - 24, 2026
Richland Center, WI - Wisconsin HS State Finals
June 11 - 14, 2026
Results
Junior High School Small Bore Rifle
Rank - Name
1 Eggenberger, Taylor 2
2 Painter, Savannah
3 Eggenberger, Torey
4 Borchardt, Phillip
5 Ferguson, Reese
High School Small Bore Rifle
Rank – Name
1 Bretsch, Jenna
2 Spiegelberg, Colbi
3 Borchardt, Jackson
4 Painter, Cecilia
5 Ollendick, Calynn
6 White, Ava
7 Foege, Sadie
8 Rounds, Wesley
9 Rounds, Owen
High School Trap Go 1
Rank - Name
1 Morehead, Cade
2 Waldenberger, Cade
3 Rud, Macallister
4 Rounds, Wesley
5 Rounds, Owen
6 Harms, Johnny
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