Amador County – Hundreds of California High School rodeo riders and their families and fans filled the Plymouth arena at the Amador County Fair Grounds last weekend for three days of championship competition. The 2009 Challenge of Champions Rodeo opened 7 a.m. last Friday and contestants from the 9 high school districts around the state competed in 12 different categories of rodeo. The Challenge of Champions is the annual sanctioned championship of the California high School Rodeo Association, and has been in existence for 36 years, including the last 12 years in Plymouth’s Benny Brown Arena. The event was sponsored by major Amador County local sponsors, the Jackson Rancheria Casino Hotel & Conference Center. Craig Williams of Plymouth was rodeo director of the Challenge of Champions. Each year, competitors fill the 49er Village campsites, and camp out in the back parking areas of the fairgrounds. The competitions included boys and girls cutting, bull riding, steer wrestling, pole bending, barrel racing, tie down roping and goat tying. Other categories were breakaway roping, saddle bronco riding, bareback riding and team roping. Incahoots Barbecue Restaurant catered the rodeo. Amador County Fair CEO Troy Bowers offered a “salute to the parents, officials, friends, sponsors and relatives who give of themselves to help our youth.” He said: “As everyone knows, the fast times and high scores don’t just happen. So to those behind the scenes who don’t get the buckle, a tip of the hat.” CHSRA President Deston Dishio gave a thank-you to Challenge Rodeo Director Craig Williams for “countless hours of hard work to make this rodeo happen.” She also thanked the Jackson Rancheria, and at of the riders’ personal sponsors and their parents, who probably made the trip a possibility for many of them. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.