Destri Devenport third in junior high nationals

Destri Devenport, who lived in Bonsall for five years, placed third in the Pole Bending event at the Wrangler Junior High National Finals which was held July 5-8 in Gallup, New Mexico.

Devenport, who now lives in Escondido and who will be entering San Pasqual High School when the academic year commences, had times of 21.4, 20.9, and 21.0 seconds to place third in the average which determined the final positions.

Devenport qualified for the national finals during the state finals May 14-15 in Lincoln, California. The state finals was a rodeo separate from California Junior Rodeo Association competition, but throughout the academic year points for the standings were accumulated in conjunction with the CJRA rodeos; a separate entry fee allowed points from the CJRA time or score to be counted toward the quest for the state finals.

Devenport qualified for three events at the state finals. In addition to Pole Bending, where she finished second behind Chino’s Tyla Treasure, she was second in Goat Tying and third in Breakaway Roping. The top four performances in each event at the state finals qualified for the Wrangler Junior High National Finals, which saw competitors from 34 different states and Canada.

Devenport’s Pole Bending runs earned fourth place and third place in the first two go-rounds at Gallup, and they also placed her among the top 15 pole benders to earn a trip to the short go. Devenport’s time in the short go placed third in that go-round as well as giving her third place in the average.

Devenport rode Hope, an eight-year-old quarter horse mare which was raised by the Devenport family. “Proud of my horse,” Devenport said.

Treasure placed second in the Wrangler Junior High National Finals average, which was won by an Oklahoma cowgirl.

Devenport missed a calf in Breakaway Roping at the national finals, and while she was successful on both of her Goat Tying runs she did not qualify for the short go.

The Devenport family moved from New Mexico to Bonsall in 1998, and Destri Devenport spent four years at Bonsall Elementary School before entering Sullivan Middle School. The Devenport family moved to Temecula in 2003, and Destri Devenport spent the second semester of the 2002-03 school year at Vail Ranch Middle School in Temecula. She spent a total of four semesters at Vail Ranch, and after Lynn Devenport obtained the position as the trainer of Cloverdale Stables and moved his family to Escondido, Destri Devenport spent her second semester of eighth grade at San Pasqual Elementary School, which is a K-8 school.