Havre's Hould wins bull riding state title

It’s rodeo season, even if it is a little different. And high school rodeo had to wait a long time to get back into the heat of the competition due to COVID-19, but once they got the all-clear, there were quite a few kids who made their stake at the Montana High School Rodeo Finals last weekend in Baker.

And most notable were performance from local Havre competitors Cole Hould and Mary Gibson, who both put up and impressive weekend in the arena.

Hould, a senior at Havre High, took home some impressive hardware from Baker, winning the bull riding state championship by 16.5 points for a total of 72 for his first state championship. That was Hould’s only event that he placed in. Hould finished the season with a 20-place spot in the overall standings, as well as a No. 12 finish in the overall finals rankings. Hould will not be done with rodeo in his future either, as he will be competing for Odessa College in Texas next.

Hould told 406 Sports reporter Victor Flores after the finals that to be back on a bull was a great feeling.

“I haven’t been on very many bulls just because many events have been canceled,” Hould said. “I was pretty excited to finally be able to go and ride bulls. They made me work for it.”

Meanwhile, Gibson placed sixth in the barrel racing event, 10th in the breakaway and fourth in goat tying. Gibson earned a No. 7 spot in the overall finals standings and a notable fourth-place spot in the overall standings. Being in the top five in overall standings is quite impressive by itself.

Both Hould and Gibson also qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo next month in Des Moines, Iowa. Hould is also slated to rodeo at Odessa College next fall.