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About Us

Region IX History

In 1947 in Hallestville, TX, three local citizens, Claude Mullins, Alton Allen and Leon Kahanek thought of and discussed a brand new concept: High School Rodeo.  The threesome decided to put this new idea into action and thus was founded the first high school rodeo.  The first annual Texas State Championship High School Rodeo was held in Halletsville, TX, in June of 1947.  There were 87 contestants from every corner of TX.

 

From that first rodeo in 1947 through 1975, the state finals were open entry, allowing any High School student to enter.  There were also a few events for Jr. High students.  In 1976, Texas was divided into 8 regions with the top 4 contestants in each event qualifying for the state finals.

 

At the state finals in 1977 in Halletsville, during the state board meeting, Dorris Ann Courmier requested that Region IV, which ran from the Oklahoma border down to Washington and Montgomery counties in Texas, be split leaving the north half as Region IV and the south half becoming a newly created Region IX.  With the promise from Ms. Courmier that Region IX would become a good region with good contestants, her request was granted.

 

In 1980, the northern part of Region V was annexed with Region IV and Region X was created from parts of adjoining regions, thus the current 10 regions of THSRA.

 

In 1978, Ms. Courmier became the first Region IX secretary.  At that time the region secretary also served as the rodeo secretary.  She also served as Region IX state director from 1978 until 1990. 

 

Her husband, David Courmier, judged numerous Region IX rodeos always without accepting payment for those services.  He asked that what would have been paid to him be donated back to the region awards fund.  He also judged the state finals in ’83, ’84, ’85, ’88 and ’89.

 

In 1990 a scholarship in Region IX was given in honor of Dorris Ann and David Courmier.