Hawaii Keiki Rodeo Association Crowns Season Champions at Hilo Arena

Elle Marie Jose claimed the sheep-riding buckle at the Hawaii Keiki Rodeo Association's season finals the hard way: she was the only competitor to stay aboard for the full eight seconds.

The April 2 championship wrapped another full season of youth rodeo at Al Cabral Rodeo Arena in Hilo, with HKR president Jeff Cabral presenting year-end buckles and awards across divisions that ranged from dummy roping and guided barrels to team roping and ribbon mugging. Competitors arrived as young as two years old, with parents and helpers guiding the youngest riders through barrel courses, a division format that routinely drew the loudest reactions from families packed into the arena.

Addie Flores collected the most hardware of the day, earning top honors in both assisted and unassisted barrel-racing divisions and sharing a team roping and ribbon mugging buckle with Jeremiah Lyman Palakiko. Ryleigh Menino also turned in a strong barrel-racing performance. Announcer Cerin Menino managed pace and energy throughout, keeping competition moving across a full slate of youth divisions where safety and crowd engagement demand equal attention.

Al Cabral Rodeo Arena has long served as a gathering point for Big Island paniolo culture, and the HKR's structure reflects that mission deliberately. The association builds participation from guided runs at age two up through traditional junior rodeo events, giving young riders years of progressive exposure to horsemanship, rope skills, and arena discipline. That progression keeps paniolo traditions active and practical in rural Hawaiʻi Island communities rather than reducing them to spectacle.

With buckles distributed and the season closed, the HKR signaled confidence in strong participation heading into next year's schedule, framing the Hilo finals not just as an endpoint but as the foundation for what comes next.