With the first go-round of the National High School Finals Rodeo coming to a halt, and Elkins looking for a strong opening-round mark, the three-year NHSFR veteran kept it simple.
His game plan?
"Just catch it," Elkins said. "I knew he was going to set up, so I just wanted to catch it."
Elkins did more than simply latch onto the steer. He quickly slipped it to the arena floor en route to a hasty time of 4.409 seconds, good for third place in the morning peformance.
Befitting a cowboy making his final NHSFR appearance, Elkins was happy with his mark, though far from satisfied. "My steer sat up a little bit and I just did the best I could — should have been a little faster," he explained.
Montana's Ty Erickson captured a performance win by wrestling his steer to the ground in 4.02 seconds. Overall, Larry Ferreira of California was the first-go leader at 3.501
Bailey Guthrie of Idaho cruised to a 17.522 in barrel racing in the final performance of the first round. She landed in eighth place overall, behind Florida leader Baily Jobe (17.249).
Wednesday offered a turning of the page-like scenario, with the first go giving way to the second. Slates were wiped clean, and contestants with already-solid marks were faced with the proposition of having to do it all over again to advance to Saturday night's finals.
Simply put: Impressive times and tallies won't mean much without similar results in the second go, which commenced Wednesday night.
Elkins backed up his morning run with an 8.116 Wednesday night, and will now have to wait anxiously to see if his score is among the top 20
Another Team New Mexico contestant, Sorrel Huntington, ended the first go in third place in pole bending. Huntington, who won the Monday night performance with a time of 20.132 seconds, is just a tick off the standard set by Emily Miller of Kansas, who posted a 19.796.
Huntington's teammate, Jessie Suazo, was in fifth place at 20.17.
In breakaway roping, Utah's Shelby Maxfield ended the first go in front with a time of 2.508 seconds. Mississippi's Andrew Yates did the same in tie down, his 8.802 holding up ahead of Oklahoma's Blake Deckard (9.085).
Other first-go leaders included Jesse Wright of Utah (saddle bronc), Texas' Tara Schroedter (goat tying), Reid Barker (bull riding) and Bill Tutor (bareback), Colorado's Shay Carroll and Tyler Schnaufer (team roping), Kelsey Turner of Oklahoma (girls cutting) and California cowboy Cody Hedlund (boys cutting).
Montana's Erickson was leading the All-Around Cowboy standings with a combined 370 points, while Guthrie of Idaho led in All-Around Cowgirl at 280 points.
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