Ava Malone, Park High Alumni, now attends Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming on a rodeo scholarship. The 2023 PHS graduate competes in breakaway roping, barrel racing, and team roping as a header where she competes under the direction of Northwest coaches Del and Becky Nose.
Malone is preparing to compete for Northwest at the first college rodeo of the spring season at MSU’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse in Bozeman starting Thursday, April 11 through Sunday, April 14. Malone will compete in the breakaway roping and the barrel racing at the spring rodeo, which signals the start of the 2023-2024 spring rodeo season. She is hoping to add to her point total from last fall to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming in June.
Last year at the college finals, the Northwest College girls team failed to qualify as a team. That could all change this year. This year after the fall season the Northwest Trappers girls team is sitting in the sixth position in the Big Sky Region. Malone is not currently ranked in the top 15 of the Big Sky Region but with a good spring run she could land herself a spot in the College National Finals.
Either way, Malone will have the support of not only her team, but her former high school and community as she competes at what is almost a hometown rodeo. Park High and the Park County community is ready to support and cheer on Ava as she prepares to start the spring college rodeo season.