Seven-year-old Gavin Graber holds on tight as a rides a sheep for the 2017 Alamosa Round-Up mutton busting event at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday evening. Graber tied for third with 90 points.

William Rush, 7, rides a sheep backwards all the way to the other side of the fence in the 2017 Alamosa Round-Up mutton busting event at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday evening. Rush won first place for the age group with 97 points and will be competing in the finals.

Caz Harrison and Waycee Honeycutt entertain the crowd between Alamosa Round-Up mutton busting age groups at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday evening. The pair also told jokes and chased the sheep to the ends of the arena after a rider fell off.

A sheep jumps over the head of five-year-old Diego Vasquez during in the 2017 Alamosa Round-Up mutton busting event at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday evening. Vasquez just missed being in the top four with 85.5 points.

Six-year-old Graesyn “Chongo” Coulson wraps his arms around the neck of the sheep during in the 2017 Alamosa Round-Up mutton bustin’ event at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday evening. Coulson didn’t place in the top four but finished with 89.5 points.

Six-year-old Kevin Sheffield keeps a firm grip but loses a shoe as Caz Harrison chases the sheep towards the edge of the Alamosa Fairgrounds area during 2017 Alamosa Round-Up Wednesday evening. Sheffield made it into the top four for the age group with 90 points.

Shannon O’Brian races towards a barrel at the 2017 Alamosa Round-Up at the Alamosa Fairgrounds Wednesday night. O'Brian finished with a time of 21.20 seconds.