Justin Johnson is going to be a junior at Suwannee High next year and already he is stacking up scholarship money. Johnson recently won the Ariat Boots Scholarship for a local high school rodeo athlete.

Johnson received the award at the Florida High School Rodeo Finals held in Kissimmee at the Silver Spurs Rodeo Arena June 8-10. Johnson was honored with the scholarship for his work as the 2006-2007 Florida High School Rodeo Association President.

“I thought that if I ran for president I could make a difference in the association instead of complaining about things,” Johnson said.

“He had several adults and kids request that Justin run for President after serving as vice president last year,” mom Rhonda Johnson said. “They felt like he would be a great representative of the FHSRA (FFA has helped prepare Justin for this position with the speaking skills and parliamentary procedure skills learned through his membership in the FFA). Justin believes that the FHSRA is one of the greatest youth athletic organizations around and that the great American cowboy is one of the last true heroes of our time. As president of the FHSRA, Justin wants to promote the history, heritage and traditions of the Great American cowboy and rodeo.”

Mom Rhonda and father Jay Johnson also got involved in the FHSRA. Jay was elected FHSRA Vice President and Rhonda is the FHSRA Rodeo Secretary. “We hope to get more rodeos this way, the closest one has been in Ocala—-we would like to have a FHSRA in Live Oak, and we would like to have two day rodeos so the kids can get to know each other better and it would save on the driving fuel cost,” Johnson said. “How it is now, we drive all the way to Davie, Brighton, Big Cypress etc.. for a one day rodeo. We have to spend the night anyway so we might as well have another rodeo the next day. This year we had a total of 15 rodeos and all but two were one-day rodeos. We want to have eight two-day rodeos which will equal 16 rodeos with a lot less money spent. I have a lot of ideas for fund raising also. I would like to have a reverse rodeo, scavenger Hunts and things like that. I am looking forward to a great 2006-2007 FHSRA Year!”

The Ariat High School Rodeo Student President’s Scholarship program was started three years ago by Ariat Boot Company as a way of recognizing those NHSRA members, who through their leadership skills, do the most to insure the success of their high school rodeo associations.