Alex Nobles qualified for the 67th annual National High School Finals Rodeo and is headed to Rock Springs, Wyo., with three other teammates to compete in the national competition.

Nobles’ event is calf roping.

To reach this point, Nobles, who is on the Mississippi High School Rodeo Team, had to finish in the top four of about 25 competitors over 18 competitions before the group moved into the finals, which were in Hattiesburg. The participants earn points by where they finish during the events.

There are five rounds in the finals, and the points from the 18 competitions carry over into the finals.

After four rounds, the top 10 advance to the final round.

Nobles was ninth going into the finals and then moved up to fourth, which allowed him to qualify for the national tournament. Nobles, who is a 2015 Ben’s Ford Christian School graduate, has been competing in rodeos for the past four years. Before this year, his best finish was eighth.

Nobles will be among more than 1,500 competitors from 42 states, five Canadian provinces and Australia.

They will be competing for prizes and college scholarships, along with a chance to be a National High School Finals Rodeo champion.

To earn this title, participants must be in the top 20 based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds to advance to the final round July 18.

This is a huge competition for Nobles and all of the competitors, as this rodeo is the world’s largest rodeo.

Good luck to Nobles and congratulations on qualifying for nationals.

No matter next week’s outcome, you’re already a winner in our book.