North Platte, Neb. (June 16, 2018) – It was déjà vu all over again for bareback rider Austin Foss.

 

For the second year, the Terrebonne, Oregon man claimed the bareback riding title at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte with a score of 87 points on the Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. horse Nutrena’s Anything Goes.

 

Nutrena’s Anything Goes, a seven-year-old mare, was a horse that Foss knew he could win money on. “That horse really bucked. She was really strong right out of the chute, the kind you want to win on.” Last year, he made an 87.5 point ride on the Beutler horse Pendleton Whisky’s Red Bandana to win the rodeo. “I remember coming here last year, and I remember getting on one that bucked, and what do you know? It happened again this year.”

 

The last two weeks have been good to the 26-year-old cowboy. He’s won about $8,000 in two weeks with a first place finish at the Union, Ore. rodeo, and placings at rodeos in Eagle, Colo., Sisters, Ore., and Clovis, N.M. It’s jumped him from twenty-sixth in the PRCA’s world standings to sixteenth, giving him a shot at being in the top fifteen in the world. A top fifteen ranking at the end of the rodeo season allows a cowboy to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Las Vegas in December, where world champions are determined. Foss has been at the WNFR three times (2013-2015) and wants to go again. “I’m knocking at the door.”

 

Foss was coming from home when he traveled to Nebraska, making the 1000 mile trip and leaving on Thursday afternoon, but it was worth it. “I drove here from Oregon, and I’d do it again,” the jubilant cowboy said.

 

The Saturday night performance saw the high score in the bull riding for the rodeo.

 

Jeston Mead, Holcomb, Kansas, scored 85 points on the Beutler and Son bull Roll Tide.

 

The 29-year-old called his friend Ty Clearwater, who rode the bull on Thursday night, to see what bucking pattern the bull might have. Clearwater got bucked off, but Mead didn’t. The bull “really fired. He performed for me really well,” Mead said.

 

Mead, who has been riding bulls since he was twelve years old, considered the significance of winning the North Platte rodeo, named after the west’s biggest showman, Buffalo Bill, with the rodeo grounds within sight of Buffalo Bill’s famed Scouts Rest Ranch. “I always thought it would be a great memory to win (North Platte), just because of all the history behind the rodeo. It’s a great event.”

 

He and his wife and two children, a daughter, age six, and a son, age two, will camp out in the campground next to Scouts Rest Ranch tonight then head home to southwestern Kansas tomorrow. Mead runs a cattle processing crew and has 1,000 head of cattle to work on Monday before flying to Reno, Nevada for another rodeo on Tuesday.

 

The 2018 Trail Boss Award was awarded to Tricia Schaffer. The North Platte woman has served on the Nebraska High School Rodeo Queen committee, as an event director for the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association, and as a national director for the Neb. High School Rodeo Association since 1996. Five years ago, the National High School Rodeo Association recognized her as the NHSRA Woman of the Year. She was instrumental in securing the National High School Finals Rodeo to be held in Lincoln in 2020 and 2021.

 

Other 2018 champions include steer wrestler Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D. (8.1 seconds on 2 head), tie-down ropers Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. and Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa (both with 18.1 seconds on two head) 2015 world champion saddle bronc rider Jacobs Crawley, (86.5  points), team ropers Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla. and Chase Boekhaus, Rolla, Kansas (4.4 seconds), and barrel racer Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas (17.41 seconds).

 

NEBRASKAland Days activities continue until June 23. Next weekend’s highlights include a concert on Fri., June 22 with Florida-Georgia Line and special guest Brett Young. The Sat., June 23 concert is Alabama, with special guest the Charlie Daniels Band.  For more information, visit www.NebraskaLandDays.com.

 

– ### –

 

Results, North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo 2017

 

Bareback riding – 2018 champion: Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Oregon

1. Austin Foss, Terrebonne, Ore. 87 points on Nutrena’s Anything Goes; 2. Tyler Scales, Buffalo, Wyo. 84; 3. Steven Dent, Mullen, Neb. 82; 4. Grant Denny, Minden, Nev. 81; 5. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 80; 6. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 79; 7. Justin Pollmiller, Weatherford, Texas 75; 8. (tie) Chance Merrill, Coffeyville, Kan. and Mike Fred, St Marys Kan. 73 each.

 

Steer wrestling – 2018 champion: Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D.

1^st go-round

1. Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D. 3.6 seconds; 2. Jon Herl, Goodland, Kan. 3.9; (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D. and Hunter Cure, Holliday, Texas 4.0 each; 6. Trever Nelson, Calera, Okla. 4.2.

 

2^nd go-round

1. Trell Etbauer,   3.6 seconds; 2. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas 3.9; 3. (tie) Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. and Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. 4.0 each; 5. Cody Pratt, Pueblo, Colo. 4.1; 6. Jacob D Edler, Dacoma, Okla. 4.3.

 

Average

1. Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D. 8.1 seconds on 2 head; 2. Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, Texas 8.7; 3. J.D. Struxness, Milan, Minn. 9.0; 4. (tie) Kyle Irwin, Robertsdale, Ala. and Jon Herl, Goodland, Kan. 9.4 each; 6. Kody Woodward, Dupree, S.D.  9.5.

 

Tie-down roping – 2018 co-champions: Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. and Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa

1^st go-round

1. Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif. 8.3 seconds; 2. (tie) Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas and Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa, 8.4 each; 4. Stetson Vest, Childress, Texas 8.8; 5. Ty Harris, San Angelo, Texas 8.9; 6. Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 9.0.

 

2^nd go-round

1. Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas 8.1 seconds; 2. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 8.4;  3. (tie) Joey Dickens, Loveland, Colo. and Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, La. 8.5 each;

5. (tie) Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. and Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash. 8.6 each.

 

Average

1. (tie) Cody Huber, Albia, Iowa and Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 18.1 on 2 head; 3. Tyler Milligan, Pawhuska, Okla. 18.6; 4. Jordan Ketscher, Squaw Valley, Calif. 18.8; 5. Jake Pratt, Ellensburg, Wash. 18.9; 6. Cimarron Boardman, Stephenville, Texas 19.2.

 

Saddle bronc riding – 2018 champion:  Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas

1. Jacobs Crawley, Boerne, Texas 86.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.’s Nutrena’s Ole Flame; 2. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, S.D. 85.5; 3. (tie) Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla. 81 and Leon Fountain, Socorro, N.M. 81 each; 5. (tie) Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Fla., Dalton Davis, Holcomb, Kan. and Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb. 80 each; 8. (tie) Dawson Dahm, Lane Wimberly, Belen, N.M. and Taygen Schuelke, 79 each.

 

Team roping – 2018 champions: Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla. and Chase Boekhaus, Rolla, Kansas

1. Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla./Chase Boekhaus, Rolla, Kan. 4.4 seconds; 2. Mason Boettcher, East Bernard, Texas/Ty Arnold, Midway, Texas 5.0; 3. Corey Whinnery, Powderhorn, Colo./Robert Murphey, Congress, Ariz. 5.2; 4. (tie) Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss./Will Woodfin, Marshall, Texas and Jeff Johnston, Thedford, Neb./Dustin Harris, O’Neill, Neb. 5.3 each; 6. (tie) Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Quincy Opela, Stapleton, Neb. and Cooper White, Hershey, Neb./Tucker White, Hershey, Neb., 5.4 each; 8. Jesse Stipes, Salina, Okla./Jake Smith, Broken Bow, Okla. 5.5.

 

Barrel racing – 2018 champion: Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas

1. Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas 17.41 seconds; 2. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla. 17.47; 3. Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas 17.50; 4. Shelby Janssen, Coleman, Okla. 17.58; 5. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D. 17.69; 6. Erin Williams, Moorcraft, Wyo. 17.71; 7. (tie) Jennifer Hiler, Greeley, Colo. and Ali Armstrong, Lexington, Okla. 17.77 each; 9. Christine Laughlin, Pueblo., Colo. 17.78; 10. Jody McKay, Red Oak, Okla. 17.82; 11. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Teas 17.84; 12. Lacinda Rose, Willard, Mo. 17.85.

 

Bull riding – 2018 champion: Jeston Mead, Holcomb, Kansas

1. Jeston Mead, Holcomb, Kan. 85 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.’s Roll Tide; 2. Kenan Isbell, Gatesville, Texas 84; 3. Elijah Mora, Wiggins, Colo. 83; 4. Joe Frost, Randlett, Utah 82.5;  5.Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. 82; 6. Bart Miller, Pleasanton, Neb. 79.5; 7. Tyler Bingham, Honeyville, Utah 79; 8. Josh Frost, Randlett, Utah 68.

 

** All results are unofficial.

HASTINGS, NEB. (June 17, 2018) – The Nebraska High School Rodeo season wrapped up last weekend with the high school finals in Hastings at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Rodeo athletes from across the Cornhusker State competed in two go-rounds on June 14-15 and the short go-round on June 16. The top four contestants in each of twelve events were determined, and they will go on to compete at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo., July 15-21.

 

Champions from the 2018 Finals are: Trey Seevers, North Platte, bareback riding; Grant Turek, St. Paul, tie-down roping; Sage Miller, Springview, saddle bronc riding; Jaylee Simonson, Dunning, pole bending; Sage Konicek, Ord, boys cutting; Bayli Bilby, Chadron, girls cutting; Wacey Day, Fleming, Colo., goat tying; Danielle Wray, Ord, breakaway roping; Marshall Still, Oconto, steer wrestling; Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton, and Clay Holz, Niobrara, team roping; Bailey Witt, Valentine, barrel racing; Conner Halverson, Gordon, bull riding; Colten Storer, Sutherland, reined cow horse; Jack Skavdahl, Marsland, trap shooting; and Ralph Saults, Big Springs, rifle shooting.

 

The girls year-end all-around award went to Bailey Witt of Valentine, with the reserve all-around to Jaylee Simonson of Dunning. The boys year-end all-around winner was Chase Miller, Broken Bow, and the reserve all-around went to Colten Storer, Sutherland. Girls rookie of the year was Wacey Day, Fleming, Colo., and the boys rookie of the year was Clay Holz, Niobrara. The 2018 Nebraska High School Rodeo queen title was awarded to Joscelyn Soncksen, Lexington.

 

The following are highlights of a few of the champions.

 

Steer wrestling champion Marshall Still, Oconto

Marshall Still ended his high school rodeo career with a championship at the Nebraska High School Finals Rodeo.

 

The nineteen-year old cowboy entered the finals in second place but took advantage of opportunities to win the year-end title. “It was one of those deals that I knew I had a shot at it, but I just had to make good runs to get through it. Everything worked out all right.”

 

This is the fourth time Still has qualified for the state finals but the first time he will go on to the National High School Finals Rodeo. He also competed in the team roping at state.

 

In addition to high school rodeo, Still competes in youth events like the Ote Berry Junior Steer Wrestling World Championships, where he is ranked in the top five. Still competed at the Junior National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas last December and hopes to qualify again this year.

 

A graduate of Callaway High School, he played football, basketball and wrestled, was part of the one acts, quiz bowl, speech, FFA, and a member of the National Honor Society.

 

This fall he will attend McCook (Neb.) Community College, competing collegiately and with the goal of earning his art education degree. He enjoys painting with water color and acrylics.

 

He is the son of Richard and Brenda Still.

 

Barrel racing champion Bailey Witt, Valentine

Bailey Witt had the best year of high school rodeo she’s ever had. She held the lead for much of the year. “The competition in the barrel racing in Nebraska was really, really tough,” she said. “We just had a great, great year.”

 

By “we”, Bailey includes her horse, Gus, a ten-year-old sorrel gelding. Horses are an integral part of the barrel racing, and Gus made a difference for his rider. “Running barrels on him is so amazing,” Witt said. “Every time I come out of the arena, I’m out of breath. He’s hard to ride, but at the same time, he’s fun.”

 

Keeping Gus healthy this year was key to Bailey’s success. “He’s been feeling his best. In the past few years, we’ve struggled with him being sore and having injuries. This year we were both one hundred percent, and we got on a roll.” Bailey also breakaway ropes on the horse, which the family has owned since he was two years old.

 

This is Bailey’s third year of state finals qualification. Last year, she finished fourth at state, qualifying her to go on to Nationals. Because Gus wasn’t at the top of his game, she didn’t do well there. She has a game plan for this year. “We’re just going to keep riding, getting him in the best shape he can be and making sure he’s feeling good. Then we’ll put three good runs together.”

 

Bailey will be a senior at Valentine High School this fall. She plays basketball and is involved in FFA, student council, and is a member of the National Honor Society.

 

This summer, she will compete at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee, Oklahoma and at Nebraska State Rodeo Association and Mid-States Rodeo Association rodeos.

 

She is the daughter of John and Michele Wit.

 

Tie-down roping champion Grant Turek, St . Paul

Last year, Grant Turek won the high school tie-down roping title, and he did it again last weekend in Hastings.

 

The seventeen-year-old cowboy led the standings for most of the year and made two good runs at state, winning first place in the first round and fourth place in the second round. He missed his calf in the short round, but had enough points amassed to hang on to the title.

 

This year was a tougher year for him than last year. His horse died at the end of the fall rodeo season, so he and his family had to purchase a new one for the spring. He and the new horse, an eleven-year-old sorrel gelding, “clicked,” he said. “It worked out good.”

 

At nationals last year, Grant finished the year twentieth in the nation.

 

He will be a senior at St. Paul High School this fall. He plays basketball and is involved in FFA and student council. He is also a member of the National Honor Society.

 

Grant is the son of Jeff and Sheila Turek.

 

Pole bending champion Jaylee Simonson, Dunning

Jaylee Simonson is the 2018 pole bending champion for the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association.

 

The eighteen-year-old cowgirl, a resident of Dunning, won the first round, knocked over a pole in the second round, and placed fifth in the short round to win the title.

 

She has qualified for state finals all four years of her high school career, but this will be her first trip to nationals.

 

She rode a horse leased from Jim Sybrant who has been ridden by four previous high school pole bending cowgirls. The horse, Snoop, is 21 years old and “knows his job,” she said. She is grateful to the Sybrants for the opportunity to ride the horse, who started his life as a ranch horse before being trained for the pole bending.

 

A 2018 graduate of Sandhills High School in Dunning, Jaylee was involved in volleyball, basketball, FFA, FBLA, one-acts, and the National Honor Society.

 

This fall she will attend Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne, Wyo., where she will compete in the breakaway roping and barrel racing and major in ag business.

 

Jaylee also competed at state finals in the barrel racing and goat tying.

 

She is the daughter of J.W. and Cindy Simonson.

 

Rifle Shooting champion Ralph Saults, Big Springs

Ralph Saults was surprised by his win in the rifle shooting at the state finals in Hastings.

 

He knew the other competitors were tough, and he knew he could shoot well, but he wasn’t sure how things would turn out. “The others behind me are pretty good, dead-eyes, too,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if I’d even place with all the competition I had. It was kind of a surprise. I didn’t know I was going to do so well.”

 

The seventeen-year-old cowboy gets plenty of practice shooting. He loves to hunt nearly anything, from deer to coyotes to prairie dogs, but his favorites are waterfowl: geese and ducks. This is the third time he has qualified for state finals, but his first time to go to nationals. He has a plan: “have fun and try my best.”

 

Ralph will be a junior at South Platte High School this fall. He plays basketball and is involved in FFA, quiz bowl, and is a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to rifle shooting, he competed in the tie-down and team roping in Hastings as well.

 

He is the son of Scott and Jill Saults.

 

For complete results, visit https://www.hsrodeo-nebraska.com/results. For more information on the state finals and national finals, www.hsrodeo-nebraska.com, and www.nhsra.com.

 

###

 

Nebraska High School Qualifiers for the 2018 National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming July 15-21.

 

Bareback riding:

Champion: Trey Seevers, North Platte

2. Gauge McBride, Kearney

3. Jared Schultis, Tryon

 

Boys cutting:

Champion: Sage Konicek, Ord

2. Colten Storer, Sutherland

3. Ty Bass, Brewster

4. Chase Miller, Broken Bow

Alternate – Wacey Flack, Maywood

 

Girls cutting:

Champion: Bayli Bilby, Chadron

2. Concey Bader, Palmer

3. Brook Bushhousen, St. Libory

4. Alexis Rutar, Springview

Alternate – Ashton Troyer, West Point

 

Bull riding: Conner Halverson, Gordon

2. Mason Ward, North Platte

3. Dodge Daniels, Scotia

4. BJ McAbee, Ansley

Alternate – Ben Wood, Greeley

 

Goat tying:

Champion: Wacey Day, Fleming, Colo.

2. Emily Knust, Verdigre

3. Jessica Stevens, Creighton

4. Britney Brosius, Ashby

Alternate – Bailey Witt, Valentine

 

Tie-down roping

Champion: Grant Turek, St. Paul

2. Kurtis Palmer, Madison

3. Tanner Whetham, Morrill

4. Clayton Symons, Mitchell

Alternate – Chase Miller, Broken Bow

 

Saddle bronc riding

Champion: Sage Miller, Springview

2. Gus Franzen, Kearney

3. Jack Skavdahl, Marsland

4. Trey Seevers, North Platte

Alternate – Garrett Long, North Platte

 

Barrel racing

Champion: Bailey Witt, Valentine

2. Sydney Adamson, Cody

3. Shanna Bailey, Lakeside

4. Lexie Lowery, Burwell

Alternate – Reece Stanley, Sidney

 

Breakaway roping

Champion: Danielle Wray, Ord

2. Emily Knust, Verdigre

3. Wacey Day, Fleming, Colo.

4. Jentri Hulrburt, Arcadia

Alternate – Maddie Stump, Elsmere

 

Pole bending

Champion: Jaylee Simonson, Dunning

2. Riata Day, Fleming, Colo.

3. Halli Haskell, Ainsworth

4. Madison Mills, Eddyville

Alternate – Danielle Wray, Ord

 

Steer wrestling

Champion: Marshall Still, Oconto

2. Gus Franzen, Kearney

3. Talon Mathis, Atkinson

4. Chase Miller, Broken Bow

Alternate –Quade Potter, Cambridge

 

Team roping

Champions: Cauy Pokorny, Stapleton, and Clay Holz, Niobrara

2. Cameron Jensen, Bingham, and Tanner Whetham, Morrill

3. Gus Franzen, Kearney, and Tomas Margritz, Lexington

4. Ty Chasek, Mitchell, and Clayton Symons, Mitchell

Alternates: Grant Lindsley, Osceola, and Nathan Poss, Scotia

 

Reined cow horse

Champion: Colten Storer, Sutherland

2. Cadell Brunsch

3. Ty Bass, Brewster

4. Kaine Stokey, Sutherland

Alternate  Faith Storer, Sutherland

 

Trap Shooting

Champion: Jack Skavdahl, Marsland

2. Keo Wever

3. Faith Simon, Burwell

4. Hannah Simon, Burwell

Alternate – Brecken Preitaur, Stamford

 

Rifle Shooting

Champion: Ralph Saults, Big Springs

2. Sam Florell, Kearney

3. Andrea Meyer, Stapleton

4. Caleb Smith, Broken Bow

Alternate – Jaycee Wooters, Elwood