Published: October 22, 2007 12:08 pm      

Local rodeo champ, horse honored

Justin Johnson, a senior at Suwannee High School, and his nine-year-old American Quarter Horse “Sweet Hickory Colonel aka Sweetwater” were honored by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) and Heel-O-Matic with a $300 college scholarship and a breast collar for Sweetwater being named the Florida High School Rodeo Association’s (FHSRA) Horse of the Year at the Florida High School Rodeo Finals recently at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee.

To be eligible for AQHA Heel-O-Matic Horse of the Year honors, the rider had to be a current member of the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) and of the American Quarter Horse Youth Association. In addition, the nominated horse had to be a registered American Quarter Horse. Once all eligibility requirements were met, the horse and rider earned points by qualifying for and competing at the Florida High School Rodeo Finals. The horse and rider who earned the most points were awarded the honor of being named the AQHA-Heel-O-Matic Horse of the Year. From there, they were eligible to compete for National AQHA Heel-O-Matic Horse of the Year honors by competing at the National High School Finals Rodeo, held in July, in Springfield, Ill.

“The NHSRA is very proud to have the AQHA and Heel-O-Matic as national corporate partners. It is the sponsorship support NHSRA receives from its valuable corporate partners that allow it to assist with the development of dedication, leadership, responsibility and commitment in today’s young people,” explains NHSRA Marketing Director Jared Higby.

Johnson has had a love for horses his whole life, he started riding horses by himself when he was only three years old. At age seven, running the games at the Suwannee River Riding Club aboard his 14-year-old quarter horse named “E.T.,” Johnson won his first trophy saddle. Since that time, competing in the Southern Junior Rodeo Association, United States Team Roping Championship and now his fourth and final year as a member of the Florida High School Rodeo Association, he has accumulated 15 trophy saddles, numerous trophy belt buckles and major cash awards. Johnson currently owns six quarter horse geldings that he has trained for team roping and calf roping ranging from three to nine years old. Johnson is an SHS senior this year and gets out at noon for Work Co-op, where he goes home to ride/train horses for people at his horse training facility, “Lonesome Dove.” Johnson’s future plans include running for State FFA office and attending University of Florida to receive a degree in agriculture business.

For more information on NHSRA, visit www.nhsra.org or FHSRA visit www.fhsra.homestead.com.