Matt East, a sixth-grader at Blanchester Middle School, will compete in the 16th annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo (NJHFR) beginning Sunday in Des Moines.

East will compete in the national event in calf roping, ribbon roping, chute dogging and goat tying.

There are approximately 1,200 contestants from 44 states, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Mexico at the NJHFR.

The June 26 championship performance will be televised nationally as part of the Cinch High School Rodeo Tour telecast series on RFD-TV. Live broadcasts of all NJHFR performances will air at www.ridepass.com. Performance times are 7 p.m. this Sunday and then 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day thereafter through the final day on June 26.

Results are online at www.NHSRA.com/juniorhighfinals.