A trip to North Platte did wonders to
boost Shane Hanchey’s confidence.

The Sulphur, La. man was sure of his tie-down roping skills and sure of his
horse’s ability, but he just needed to have everything come together.

Hanchey, a three time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, won the first
go-round of the tie-down roping at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo tonight. His 9.1
second run was on the horse he’s had since high school, a quarter horse
gelding named Reata.

Reata underwent colic surgery last November, and North Platte was his second
rodeo back. After his win tonight, Hanchey was pleased. “It’s good to get a
good run kicked off to start this long summer run.”

Hanchey and his traveling partners, Cory Solomon and 2012 World Champion
Tie-down Roper Tuf Cooper, are on their way to Canada. It’s Hanchey’s and
Cooper’s first trip to compete in North Platte. “Cory talked good about the
rodeo, and it’s on our way (to Canada.) We were at Weatherford (Texas), last
night, drove all night, got here at noon, napped, and got ready for tonight.
We’ll rope in the morning (at slack) and head up to Canada.”

Hanchey says the summer rodeo run is perfect for tie-down roping. “Our type
of roping is in the summer, to where we can rope every day, get in the
groove, get everything going. When you get out here (on the road) in the
summer, you can keep your head down and the gas pedal down and keep racking
up money.”

Getting in the “groove” can be tough, Hanchey said. The three men watch film
of their runs, critique them, and “if we did something wrong, we’ll point it
out to each other. That’s how you stay positive. You have to travel with a
group of people who know your roping well and know your horses well. It
keeps your attitude good. The mental game of rodeo is the most underrated
part from outsiders looking in. It’s not just about backing (your horse into
the box) and roping, or having a good calf. It’s a lot more than that.”

But either way, it’s worth it, Hanchey said. “The win is rewarding.”

After slack this morning and the evening performance, other leaders include
bareback rider DV Fennell, Inola, Okla., 79 points, steer wrestlers Bray
Armes, Gruver, Texas and Joe Buffington, Wheatland, Wyo., 3.8 seconds,
saddle bronc rider Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas, team ropers Ryan Von Ahn,
Sac City, Iowa and J.W. Beck, Wright City, Okla., 6.0 seconds, barrel racer
Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, 17.40 seconds and bull rider Tyler Smith,
Fruita, Colo., 88 points.

The 2013 Miss Rodeo Nebraska was crowned, with the tiara going to Gina
Jespersen, Hemingford, Neb. Robin Ferguson, Gordon, Neb., is the new Miss
Teen Rodeo Nebraska.

The second of four nights of rodeo takes place Thursday, June 13 at 8 pm.
Fans are encouraged to wear pink to show awareness of breast cancer, and
proceeds will be donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte.
Tickets are $13 for adult general admission and upper grandstand and $7 for
kids. Reserved seating in the lower grandstand is $20 per ticket.

– ### –

Results, 1st Performance and slack, June 12, 2013
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo

Bareback riding
1 DV Fennell, Inola, Okla. 79 points on 103 Regulator; 2 Zachariah Phillips,
Casper, Wyo. 76; 3 Mac Erickson, Sundance, Wyo. 75; 4 Tyler Scales,
Severance, Colo. 70

Tie-down roping – 1st round
1 Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, Okla. 9.1; 2/3 tie Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, OK
10.1 and Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 10.1; 4 Paul David Tierney, Oral,
S.D. 10.7

Steer wrestling – 1st round
1/2  tie Bray Armes, Gruver, Texas 3.8 and Joe Buffington, Wheatland, WY
3.8; 3/4/5 tie Tee Hale, White Owl, SD 4.0, Stockton Graves, Newkirk, Okla.
4.0 and Wyatt Johnson, Hoyt, CO 4.0

Saddle bronc riding
1 Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Texas 79 points on Gingersnap; 2 Trell Etbauer,
Goodwell, Okla. 77; 3 Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb. 75; 4 Cody Martin, Eagle,
Colo. 69

Team roping
1.Ryan Von Ahn  Sac City Iowa/JW Beck, Wright City, Okla. 6.0; 2 Brit
Ellerman, Ft Lupton, Colo./Chad Wahlert, Kersey, Colo. 6.5; 3 Tyrell Moody,
Letcher, S.D./Rory Brown, Edgemont, S.D. 6.7; 4 Trent Barrett, North Platte,
Neb./Jake Pelton, North Platte, Neb. 8.2

Barrel Racing
1  Brittany Pozzi Victoria TX  17.40; 2 Wanda Brown, Edgemont, S.D. 17.61; 3
Natalie Foutch, Glendora, Iowa 17.63; 4 Sabrina Ketcham, Yeso, N.M. 17.66

Bull Riding
1 Tyler Smith, Fruita CO 88 points on 684 Brush Hog II; 2 Garrett Vig,
Newell, S.D. 82; 3 Chauncey Hesseltine, Thedford, Neb. 77; no other
qualified rides