The 2016 Mid-Plains Community College Stampede will pit some of the toughest cowboys and cowgirls in the region against the rankest livestock on the circuit.
The public is invited to watch the action Sept. 16-17 at the Wild West Arena, 2400 N. Buffalo Bill Ave, in North Platte. Performances will begin at 7 p.m. each night. Admission is payable at the gate. It’s $10 for adults and free for children 10 and younger.
“This is an event the community won’t want to miss,” said Chuck Salestrom, area associate vice president of public information and marketing. “The contestants are future stars. We expect to see them at the NFR in the very near future.”
Competing in North Platte, the birthplace of American rodeo, will be a dream come true for many of the athletes. That’s part of the reason the Stampede has continued to grow the past three years.
“It has been voted as the Great Plains Region runner-up Rodeo of the Year,” said Dustin Elliott, MPCC Rodeo Team rough stock coach. “I know that with a great crowd and the support of our community, we can push over the top and be the best rodeo in the region.”
The MPCC Stampede is a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association sanctioned event. It’s also a qualifying rodeo – meaning any points contestants earn will count toward an end of the year shot at nationals.
Twelve collegiate rodeo teams from Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin are expected to compete.
In addition to MPCC, those include Black Hills State University, Dickinson State University, Hastings College, Iowa Central Community College, Iowa State University, Mitchell Technical Institute, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The Stampede is the second rodeo in the Great Plains Region lineup this fall. The MPCC team will also travel to:
River Falls, Wis. – Sept. 9-10
Fort Dodge, Iowa – Sept. 29-30
Ames, Iowa – Oct. 1-2
Fargo, N.D. – Oct. 21-22
“I’m really looking forward to this season,” Elliott said. “Our team continues to grow, not only in numbers, but in talent as well. If one athlete starts to fall back we have another ready to be placed on the points team. That’s a great problem to have.”
For pullout box:
The 2016 Mid-Plains Community College Stampede is sponsored in part by:
North Platte/Lincoln County Visitors Bureau
NEBRASKAland Days
Kwik Stop
Equitable Bank
Sapp Brothers
Kohler Trailer Sales
Rod Christmann Electric Solutions
Hershey State Bank
American Family Insurance – David Cain Agency
State Farm -Jack Morris Insurance Agency
Coldwell Banker-Judy Splitt