North Platte, Neb. (June 18, 2016) – The first pro rodeo buckle Jule Hazen won was at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in 2004, his first year of pro rodeo competition.

And he just got himself a second one.

The steer wrestler from Ashland, Kan., made a 3.7 second run on his first steer during slack on Wednesday, then made another 3.7 second run on his second steer the next day, to win the steer wrestling title with a time of 7.4 seconds on two head.

The buckle, plus the check for $2663 is wonderful, but the best part is the self-assurance, he said. “It’s not just the money, it’s a confidence booster. Whenever we get ready to start out the summer run, it gets things on a roll. It’s major mental.”

He and his four traveling partners: Josh Clark, Lane Herl, Blair Jones and Richard Coats, left North Platte, headed to Reno, Nev., Springdale, Ark., Pecos, Texas, Santa Fe, N.M., Greeley Colo., and Livingston, Mont., all by July Fourth. Traveling with good guys helps, too. “It’s great,” Hazen said. “We can all tell each other, what you’re doing right or wrong. Whenever you’re down, they pick you up. And whenever you get too high, they’ll knock you back down.”

Having a good hazer is important, too. Chad Van Campen hazed for Hazen for both of his runs, and Van Campen, also a steer wrestler at North Platte, hazed for him two of his three years at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The second steer Hazen drew had a tendency to stop to the right, away from him, and the hazer’s job was to keep him close to the steer wrestler. “With Chad over there, there’s no room for that steer to get away. Chad never stubs his toe. Having him over there is kind of like having my binkie,” he joked. “It makes it real simple.”

Barrel racer Hailey Kinsel turned the pattern in 17.37 seconds to win a gold buckle. The Cotulla, Texas cowgirl just came back from competition at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., where she didn’t win a check. “I’m just back from the College Finals, and didn’t have any luck up there,” she said. “I was down on myself, so I went in to make a confidence builder run, and see what my horse could do, and he impressed the heck out of me.”

Her horse TJ, a twelve year old gelding whose registered name is Thunder Stones, has been in her ownership for the last three years. She’s taken TJ to about two dozen rodeos, and he seems to prefer bigger arenas. “The bigger, longer, stretch-out runs, he runs really hard. I don’t think he loves the indoor (arenas). I’m starting to figure out what his niche is, and I think I’ve found it.”

Kinsel will be a senior this fall at Texas A&M University. This was her first time to compete at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

The 2016 Trail Boss Award was posthumously awarded to Art Daly. Daly, a cowboy and cowman, was born and lived his entire life in western McPherson County, Nebraska. Daly became a rodeo announcer, first at high school and college rodeos, then at Nebraska State and Mid-States Rodeos. It was at the urging of Buffalo Bill Rodeo announcers Hadley Barrett and Randy Corley that Daly got his PRCA announcer’s card, which took him to rodeos across the nation. He was selected to announce the 1990 Mountain States Circuit Finals Rodeo, and was the voice of the Nebraska High School Finals Rodeo when it was televised live.

Other 2016 champions include bareback rider Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa (85), tie-down roper Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas (17.3 seconds on two head), saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah (88 points), team ropers Adam Rose, Willard, Mo. and Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas (12.2 seconds on two head), and bull rider Bart Miller, Pleasanton, Neb. (85).

More NEBRASKAland Days activities take place from now until June 26. The U.S. Cellular Summer Jam Concert Series is Fri., June 24 with Sam Hunt and special guest Cassadee Pope. The Sat., June 25 concert is Dierks Bentley with Randy Houser.  For more information, visit www.NebraskaLandDays.com.

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Results, North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo

Bareback riding – 2016 champion: Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa

1. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, IA 85 points on NodBig.com’s Wonderland; 2. Frank Morton, Wright, Kan. 83.5; 3. Justin Miller, Billings, Mont. 83; 4. Kyle Brennecke, Stephenville, TX  82.5; 5. JR Vezain, Cowley, Wyo. 81.5; 6. Tray Chambliss III, Ft Davis, Texas 79.5; 7. Jerad Schlegel, Burns, Colo. 79; 8. (tie) Blaine Kaufman, Pretty Prairie, KS and Casey Breuer, Mandan, ND  78 each.

Steer wrestling – 2016 champion: Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan.

1^st go-round

1. Jule Hazen, Ashland, KS 3.7 seconds; 2. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, NE 3.8; 3. Josh Peek, Pueblo, CO 4.2; 4. (tie) Jacob Talley, Keatchie, LA, Weston Taylor, Perryton, TX and Tee Burress, Piedmont, SD 4.5 each.

2^nd go-round

1. Timmy Sparing, Helena, Mont. 3.5 seconds;  2. Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan. 3.7;  3. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. 3.8;  4. (tie) Kyle Whitaker, Chambers, Neb. and Dirk Tavenner, Rigby, Ida. 4.0 each; 6. Wyatt Johnson, Hoyt, Colo. 4.1.

Average

1. Jule Hazen, Ashland, Kan. 7.4 seconds on 2 head;  2. Josh Peek, Pueblo, Colo. 8.0; 3. Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La. 9.1; 4. JD Struxness, Appleton, Minn. 9.2; 5. Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D. 9.6; 6. Dean Gorsuch, Gering, Neb. 9.8

Tie-down roping – 2016 champion: Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas

1^st go-round

1. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas 9.0 seconds; 2. Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas 9.1; 3. Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 9.7; 4. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, Ida. 9.8; 5. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 9.9; 6. Tylen Layton, Copan, Okla. 11.4.

2^nd go-round

1. Michael Otero, Lowndesboro, Ala. 8.2 seconds; 2. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas 8.3; 3. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 8.6;  4. (tie) Dennis Luetge, Hempstead, Texas and Jess Woodward, Dupree, S.D. 9.2. each; 6. Cody Nye, Alliance, Neb. 9.3.

Average

1. Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas 17.3 on 2 head; 2. Timber Moore, Aubrey, Texas 18.5; 3. Tyson Durfey, Weatherford, Texas 19.2; 4. Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 20.7;  5. Cody McCartney, Ottawa Lake, Mich. 21.4; 6. Ike Fontenot, Ville Platte, La. 21.8.

Saddle bronc riding – 2016 champion: Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah

1. Rusty Wright, Milford, Utah 88 points on Bright Lights; 2. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D. 87; 3. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas 84.5; 4. (tie) Chet Johnson, Douglas, Wyo. and Cody Wright, Milford, Utah 84 each; 6. Sterling Crawley, Stephenville, Texas 82.5; 7. Will Smith, Marshall, Mo. 81.5; 8. (tie) Andy Clarys, Riverton, Wyo., Dalton Rixen, Richardton, N.D. and Spencer Wright, Milford, Utah 81 each.

Team roping – 2016 champions: Adam Rose, Willard, Mo. and Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas

First go-round

1. JB Lord, Sturgis, S.D./Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 5.7 seconds; 2. Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas 6.1; 3. Levi O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D./Cotey Hanson, Berthold, N.D. 6.2; 4. (tie) Eli Lord, Sturgis, S.D./Jace Davis, Stephenville, Texas and Zac Small, Welch, Okla./Wesley Thorp, Stephenville, Texas 6.4 each; 6. Ty Blasingame, Ramah, Colo./Shad Chadwick, Cave Creek, Ariz. 6.7.

2^nd go-round

1. (tie) Nick Sartain, Dover, Okla./Gage Williams, Foster, Okla. and Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas 6.1 seconds each; 3. Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla./Buddy Hawkins, II, Columbus, Kan. 6.2;  4. Casey Adams, Ault, Colo./Riley Pedro, Honolulu, Hawaii 6.6; 5. Jason Thorstenson, Rapid City, S.D./Paul Griesman, Piedmont, S.D. 7.3; 6. Tad Sheets, Brewster, Kan./Chase Boekhaus, Alva, Okla. 11.1.

Average

1. Adam Rose, Willard, Mo./Walt Woodard, Stephenville, Texas 12.2 seconds on 2 head; 2. Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla./Buddy Hawkins, II, Columbus, Kan. 13.0; 3. (tie) Jason Thorstenson, Rapid City, S.D./Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D. and Casey Adams, Ault, Colo./Riley Pedro, Honolulu, Hawaii 14.1 each; 5. Tad Sheets, Brewster, Kan./Chase Boekhaus, Alva, Okla. 18.5; 6. Travis Warren, Mullen, Neb./Dustin Harris, O’Neill, Neb. 19.4.

Barrel racing – 2016 champion: Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas

1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas 17.37 seconds; 2. Taylor Jacob, Carmine, Texas 17.40; 3. Pamela Capper, Cheney, Wash. 17.55; 4. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla. 17.57; 5. Sidney Forrest, Lipan, Texas 17.59; 6. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, Texas 17.71; 7. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D. 17.75; 8. Ivy Conrado, Hudson, Colo. 17.79; 9. Jana Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D. 17.80; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas 17.81; 11. Sabra O’Quinn, Ocala, Fla. 17.86;  12. Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas 17.88.

Bull riding – 2016 champion: Bart Miller, Pleasanton, Neb.

1. Bart Miller, Pleasanton, Neb. 85 points on 02 Thumper; 2. Bryce Burnell, Buffalo, Wyo. 79.5; 3. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D. 79; 4. Taylor Miller, Faith, S.D. 73.5; 5. Colten Jesse, Konawa, Okla. 72.5.

** All results are unofficial.