16-18 boys:
1st place Drew Phillips 152
2nd place Gavin Fox 153
3rd place Connor Dormann 154
4th place Jayden Jones 156
5th place Tanner Ruda 161

 

 

14-15 boys:
1st place Kasch Morrison 144
2nd place Cole Fedderson 154
3rd place Preston Skeen 157
4th place Colbi Smith 160
5th place Teegan Sonneman 170

 

 

 

12-13 boys:
1st place Luke Hiltibrand 190
2nd place Bowden Fox 193
3rd place Caleb Castillo 212
4th place Caleb Shaner 213
5th place Jacob Klooz 218

 

 

 

11 boys:
1st place Cooper Fedderson 101
2nd place Jameson Estill 115
3rd place Max Negley 120
4th place Ethan Hardin 126

 

 

 

 

10 and under boys:
1st place Chase Wingett 90
2nd place Ean Julius 112
3rd place Lukas Dawson 148

 

 

 

 

 

16-18 Girls:
1st place Harley Hiltibrand 157
2nd place Kailey Johnson 183
3rd place Katie Wagner 190
4th place Kaylee Wach 195
5th place Haley Jackson 227

 

 

 

 

13-15 Girls:
1st place Baylee Steele 157
2nd place Karsen Morrison 161
3rd place Madi Schlaepfer 169
4th place Ali Boswell 173
5th place Dani Nolde 219

 

 

 

 

12 and under Girls:
1st place Makinley Mitchell 95
2nd place Camryn Johnson 101
3rd place Janee Wagner 160

Lincoln — Nebraska basketball players Tanner Borchardt and Johnny Trueblood were recognized for their efforts in the classroom Thursday, as both players were named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Honors Court.

The honor is presented to players who are a junior or senior academically at an institution and posted a GPA of 3.20 or better at the conclusion of the 2017-18 academic year.

This is the second straight year that Borchardt has been recognized by the NABC, while it is the first time that Trueblood has received the honor. Both players helped the Huskers to a 22-11 record in 2017-18, including a school-record 13 conference wins.

Borchardt earned a scholarship last season with his play in the Husker front court. He played in 20 games, totaling 1.8 rebounds and 0.9 points per game. He set career bests in points (eight), rebounds (10) and blocked shots (two) in 14 second-half minutes in a win over Stetson. In the classroom, the management major is a five-time Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll member and has garnered Academic All-Big Ten honors in each of the last two seasons.

Trueblood, an accounting major, played a major role on the scout team and appeared in seven games last season as a reserve, totaling three rebounds and an assist in limited time. In the classroom, he was an Academic All-Big Ten honoree in 2018 and is a three-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.

North Platte, Ne – The Annual NPCA Junior Golf Classic has one day in the books. The event tee’d off at Lake Maloney for the first day and will travel to Rivers Edge for day two.

Below is the day one results for the age groups:

Boys 16-18

Chesney Tatman – 85

Connor Dormann – 75

Gavin Fox – 77

Trevor Oberg – 80

Dillon Muirhead – 96

Max McIntosh – 92

Dillon Wise – 76

Tanner Ruda – 78

Finn Lucas – 88

Eli Fox – 87

Seth Daup – 111

Drew Phillips – 76

Jayden Jones – 79

Boys 14-15

Kasch Morrison – 70

Preston Skeen – 77

Jaxon Cadwallader – 115

Jake Hiltibrand – 96

Casey Peterson – 98

Ryan O’kief – 95

Cole Fedderson – 75

Peyton Zeller – 116

Brady Davis – 87

Perry Swarm – 93

Brett Downing – 99

Cole Schroer – 87

Teegan Sonneman – 79

Connor Hasenauer – 101

Colbi Smith – 82

Boys 12-13

Bowdie Fox – 99

Schuyler Mustin – 112

Luke Hiltibrand – 101

Logan Muirhead – 146

Matthew Phelps – 127

Caleb Shaner – 107

Sam Erbert – 143

Caleb Castillo – 102

Kyce Shimmin – 139

Jacob Klooz – 107

Girls 16-18

Harley Hlitibrand – 75

Ryanna Devries – 122

Kaylee Wach – 97

Haley Jacson – 111

Taylor Empfield – 118

Katie Wagner – 94

Kailey Johnson – 90

Lauren Brott – 138

Girls 13-15

Dani Nolde – 100

Jessica Folchert – 133

Karsen Morrison – 82

Baylee Steele – 80

Madi Schlaepher – 88

Ali Boswell – 90

North Platte – The Omaha World Herald has announced the All-Nebraska Two-Year College softball team for the 2018 season.

Five North Platte Community College Knights players were named honorable mention on the team. They are: Erin Renwick, Emily Marsden, Ana Talaroc-Kaniho, Kenlee Wanlass, and Hallei Morales.

Renwick, a sophomore from Brighton, Colo. Batted .438 with three home runs and four doubles.  Renwick also had an earned run average of 5.31 with 36 strike outs.

Marsden, a freshman from Papillion,, batted .364 with two home runs, one triple and three doubles for a slugging percentage of ..464.  Marsden had a 6.71 earned run average with five strike outs.

Talaroc-Kaniho, a sophomore from Lahaina, Hawaii, batted .362 with one home run and three doubles.  She tied for the Knights lead in stolen bases with five.

Wanlass, a freshman from Elsinore, Utah, batted .293 with three doubles.  Wanlass had a slugging percentage of .345. Wanlass had five stolen bases to tie for the team lead and broke the all-time Knights record for fewest errors in a season.

Morales, a freshman from North Platte, batted .290, led the team with nine home runs and had one double.  Morales had a slugging percentage of .591 to lead the Knights

 

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 http://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

 

North Platte, Neb. (June 14, 2018) – Tie-down roper Randall Carlisle made his first trip to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte on Thursday, and he hopes he’s making a fresh start.

 

The Athens, Louisiana cowboy made an 8.4 second run to take the lead in the second round.

 

The two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) qualifier has had some bad luck lately, not drawing well and not winning any money. The calves tie down ropers compete on are drawn randomly by their ear tag number, and lately Carlisle’s haven’t been the best pick of the herd. “I’ve had too many kickers or something always happens,” he said. His run in North Platte “finally broke the ice. I am pretty happy. I’m thankful to have a good calf.”

 

Carlisle and his traveling partner Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas, met in North Platte at the rodeo; they’ll travel together for the next several months, during the busy rodeo season. After competing in slack on Thursday morning, they headed to Reno, Nev. to compete at the rodeo there on Saturday morning. After that, they turn the rig north for rodeos in Wainwright and Sundre, Alberta. Then they will fly to Greeley, Colo. for the Greeley Stampede June 22 through July 4. Their rig and three of their horses will head towards rodeos in Prescott, Ariz. and Pecos, Texas, while they compete on another horse that was driven to Greeley from North Platte in a second rig. Then it’s up to Cody, Wyo. Carlisle estimated they will make nineteen competition runs in six days over the busy July Fourth holiday. Solomon has a driver who helps; Carlisle’s girlfriend helps drive as well. He loves the competition, but not the driving. “Other than that, it’s good,” he said. Rodeo is “better than having a day job. You get to see a lot of country.”

 

Carlisle is ranked thirty-third in the PRCA world standings; his traveling partner Solomon is ranked eleventh.

 

Other leaders from Thursday’s slack and performance are bareback rider Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. (80 points); steer wrestler Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. (4.0 seconds), and team ropers Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo., and Tad Sheets, Goodland, Kan. (6.3 seconds). Saddle bronc rider Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb., had the high score for the night; his 80 points sits second overall. Barrel racer Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas had a time of 17.50 seconds to be the fast time for the night. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. scored 82 points to be the high score for the performance.

 

Night number three of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo takes place on Friday, June 15 at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. Tickets are available online at www.NebraskaLandDays.com, at the NLD office or at the gate.

 

– ### –

 

High scores and fast times from the second performance, June 14, 2018

North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo

 

Bareback riding

1. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. 80 points on Beutler and Son  Rodeo Co.’s Sure Motion; 2. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D. 79; no other qualified rides.

 

Steer wrestling

2^nd go-round

1. Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. 4.0 seconds; 2. Tom Lewis, Lehi, Utah 5.4; 3. Stetson Jorgensen, Blackfoot, Idaho 6.4; 4. Jason Thomas, Benton, Ark. 7.0.

 

Tie-down roping

2^nd go-round

1. Randall Carlisle, Athens, La. 8.4 seconds; 2. Joey Dickens, Loveland, Colo. 8.5; 3. Trent Creager, Stillwater, Okla. 8.6; 4. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 12.0.

 

Saddle bronc riding

1. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, Neb. 80 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.’s Jack Knife; 2. Preston Burr, Stratford, Texas 77; 3. Roper Kiesner, Ripley, Okla. 72; 4. Rhett Fanning, Martin, S.D. 66.

 

Team roping

1. Brian Dunning, McClave, Colo./Tad Sheets, Goodland, Kan. 6.3 seconds; no other qualified runs.

 

Barrel racing

1. Taci Bettis, Round Top, Texas 17.50 seconds; 2. (tie) Jennifer Hiler, Greeley, Colo. and Ali Armstrong, Lexington, Okla. 17.77 each; 4. Tammy Fischer, Ledbetter, Texas 17.84.

 

Bull riding

1. Brennon Eldred, Sulphur, Okla. 82 points on No. 124; 2. Colten Beaty, Seymour, Texas 65; no other qualified rides.

 

** All results are unofficial.

North Platte, Neb. (June 13, 2018) – Some of the best cowboy and cowgirl talent in the nation converge on North Platte each June for the annual Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

 

World champions and those in the top fifteen in the world standings will compete for over $100,000 over the four days of the rodeo, June 13-16.

 

But it was a weekend warrior who leads the steer wrestling after the first day of competition.

 

Steer wrestler Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D., leads the pack of 86 steer wrestlers after competition on June 13 with a time of 3.6 seconds.

 

The 33-year-old cowboy has a wife, three kids and a business to run at home, so he chooses to rodeo on weekends.

 

He has competed at the North Platte rodeo six or eight times since he began rodeo, but the first time he came, it was in the bull riding.

 

He rode bulls for several years, switching over to the steer wrestling at age 21, “when I gained twenty pounds,” he joked.

 

Burress and his father Marty co-own a construction company, which gives them more freedom in their schedule. His dad ropes at local rodeos. “Dad likes to rope, so when he goes and ropes, I stay home,” Burress said, “and when I go and steer wrestle, he stays home. It works out good.”

 

Burress and his wife have a daughter, who is nine, and sons who are ages four and five. The boys love rodeo. “You can’t keep them away from the arena,” Burress said. “I suppose in another year or two, I’ll have to slow down more to take them to rodeos.” The boys aren’t looking to ride bulls, like their dad did. “Their mother has talked them out of bull riding. They’re talking about being steer wrestlers and ropers,” he said. “I keep telling them they can ride one of those (roping) steers, but they look at me funny. But that’s fine. They can do what they want.”

 

In the saddle bronc riding, it was a rematch between a cowboy and a bucking horse.

 

Oklahoma cowboy Hardy Braden, who won his event at the 2017 Buffalo Bill Rodeo, drew the same horse this year that he rode last year, Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Painted Desert.

 

Last year, he scored 86.5 points. This year, it was 81, good enough for the lead but probably not good enough to last through the next three nights of rodeo.

 

His eight second ride was a battle; the horse turned back towards the chutes instead of going straight out. “It’s a little harder for a bronc rider to spur when the horse is turning back. I was trying to stay off her head the best I could and stay in the saddle, but it was a fight towards the end.”

 

Last year was magical for Braden. He spent most of the rodeo season in the top 15 in the world standings and qualified for his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR). While in Las Vegas for ten days of the WNFR, he earned about $160,000, which he didn’t spend on frivolous things. “The government got a big chunk of it,” he said, “and we invested some of it.” He didn’t buy any more cattle for his herd; (“I have all the cows I can handle”) but he did buy a “toy,” a utility vehicle to be used around his ranch. “I could use it as a tax write-off,” he said. “I figured, why not?”

 

Braden is ranked twenty-fourth in the world standings; the top fifteen on September 30, the end of the rodeo year, go on to compete at the WNFR. He’s not concerned about his ranking; he knows the busiest and richest part of the rodeo season is about to start. “There’s still a lot of year left. The months of July, August and September are pretty nuts.” Braden knows qualifying a second time is “attainable. If things go right, and you can draw decent, it’s very attainable.” Drawing good horses to ride is the key. “It’s just trying to find a good dance partner.”

 

After the morning’s slack and the evening competition, other leaders are bareback rider Grant Denny, Minden, Nev. (81 points), tie-down roper Jordan Ketscher (8.3 seconds), team ropers Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla. and Chase Boekhaus, Rolla, Kan. (4.4 seconds), barrel racer Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas (17.41 seconds) and bull rider Kenan Isabell, Gatesville, Texas (84 points).

 

The 2019 Miss Rodeo Nebraska was crowned, with the title going to Eva Oliver of Merriman, Neb. The twenty-year-old cowgirl is a student at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, where she is studying veterinary technology. She will serve as lady in waiting until January 1, 2019, when she will begin her reign, and will represent the state at the 2019 Miss Rodeo America pageant in Las Vegas. She is the daughter of Chuck and Stacie Oliver. 

 

The second of four nights of rodeo takes place Thursday, June 14 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 available at www.NebraskalandDays.com  and at the gate.

 

The results from the first day are below (note all results are unofficial): 

 

Results, 1^st Performance and slack, June 13, 2018.

North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo

 

Bareback riding

1. Grant Denny, Minden, Nev. 81 points on Shattered Dream; 2. Justin Pollmiller, Weatherford, Okla. 75; no other qualified rides.

 

Steer wrestling

First go-round results

1. Tee Burress, Piedmont S.D. 3.6 seconds; 2. Jon Herl, Goodland, Kan. 3.9; 3. (tie) Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La. and Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D. 4.0 each.

 

Tie-down roping

First go-round results (the first go-round was completed with tonight’s performance)

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

 

Saddle bronc riding

1. Hardy Braden, Welch, Okla. 81 points on Painted Desert; 2. Isaac Diaz, Desdemona, Fla. 80; 3. (tie) Taygen Schuelke, Newell, S.D. and Dawson Dahm, Tomahawk, Calif. 79 each.

 

Team roping

1. Curry Kirchner, Ames, Okla./Chase Boekhaus, Rolla, Kan. 4.4 seconds; 2. Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss./Will Woodfin, Marshall, Texas 5.3; 3. Jr Dees, Aurora, S.D./Quincy Opela, Stapleton, Neb. 5.4; 4. Cole Cooper, Sheridan, Wyo./JC Flake, Mesa, Ariz.

 

Barrel racing

1. Kelly Bruner, Millsap, Texas 17.41 seconds; 2. Shelby Janssen, Coleman, Okla. 17.5; 3. Lacinda Rose, Willard, Mo. 17.85; 4. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, Victoria, Texas 18.26.

 

Bull riding

1. Kenan Isabell, Gatesville, Texas 84 points on Classic Tide; no other qualified rides.

 

** All results are unofficial.

Indianapolis, In – The College Football landscape just was changed with a stroke of the pen on June 13.

From NCAA.com:

College athletes competing in Division I football can participate in up to four games in a season without using a season of competition, the Division I Council decided this week at its meeting in Indianapolis.

Division I student-athletes have five years to compete in up to four seasons of competition. The new exception allows football players to preserve a season of competition if, for example, injuries or other factors result in them competing in a small number of games.

Council chair Blake James, athletics director at Miami (Florida), said the rule change benefits student-athletes and coaches alike.

“This change promotes not only fairness for college athletes, but also their health and well-being. Redshirt football student-athletes are more likely to remain engaged with the team, and starters will be less likely to feel pressure to play through injuries,” James said. “Coaches will appreciate the additional flexibility and ability to give younger players an opportunity to participate in limited competition.”

The proposal was tabled in April over questions about timing, the number of games and potential application to other sports. To mitigate one concern, the Council adopted noncontroversial legislation to specify that midyear enrollees who participate in postseason football competition that occurs before or during the student-athlete’s first term at a school cannot use the exception.

Several representatives of different governance groups reiterated concerns that caused the proposal to be tabled in April. The Division I Student-Athlete Experience Committee will examine how a similar concept could be applied to other sports, including what number of games would be appropriate. In its review, the committee will consult with the Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Both the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision representatives on the Council adopted both rules. They are effective for the 2018-19 football season.

Basically giving football players a safety blanket.

North Platte – The North Platte Community College Athletic Department has announced the hiring of Jeff Thurman as the new head women’s basketball coach.

Thurman, a native of Abingdon, Ill., played collegiate basketball at Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg, Ill., from 2005 – 07.  Following his playing days, Thurman stayed on at Carl Sandburg College as an assistant coach from 2007 – 15 on the men’s basketball team.  In 2016, he was named head women’s basketball coach at Black Hawk East College in Galva, Ill., which he finished with a record of 23-8.  After one season, the college dropped all athletic teams.

Thurman went to graduate school at Western Illinois University and was on the staff as a graduate assistant and the video coordinator.  He received his Master of Science-Sports Management in 2017.

 During the 2017-18 season, Thurman went back to Carl Sandburg College and was a recruiting coordinator and academic advisor.  He also helped coach the men’s basketball team.

 Thurman said, “I really don’t have a specific style of play.  I kind of just mold it around the players I have each year.”

 Thurman said, “We will play hard, and we will execute.  That is one thing I hang my hat on is effort and execution.  Being in the right spot at the right time, just doing the things that are necessary to be successful on and off the floor as well.

 Thurman said that as a player he liked to get out and shoot the three. My teams are the same way, I like to shoot the three ball from players one to five, all the way down to players 12-15 are expected to be able to shoot the three at a high percentage.

 Thurman said that in recruiting, he doesn’t recruit a style of individual, but high character individuals. They have to be great people, great students, wanting to learn in the classroom, on the floor.

Community outreach is important for Thurman.

 Thurman said, “It is key for the student athlete to get out into the community and myself to get out into the community and build that community support for our athletic program and our athletic department, and it starts with me.”

 “I love to recruit in the community and surrounding area.  Getting student athletes to stay in the community and giving back to the community,” Thurman said. “I will recruit no matter where. I’m in the midst of recruiting all over the place, trying to find student athletes who will fit what we are looking for in building a program.”

One of the factors is drawing Thurman to North Platte is the campus.

“The small campus feel with large opportunities for students and the support,” Thurman said. “I was only there a short time, and everybody was welcoming. The small class sizes and being able to build the program to what the North Platte community and the institution expects of the program.”

 “Winning is what we are here for, winning basketball games, a region championship and a district championship,” Thurman said. “Realistically, it is going to be a process. I want to build the program back to the successful tradition of the past and build upon that.”

 Another goal of Thurman is to get all the student athletes under his tutelage to graduate and move on to a four- year school.

Thurman said, “Academics are a huge part of my overall philosophy, overall sentiment as a coach is being a great student, graduating with an associates and moving on to a four year.”

 Thurman said, “My family and I are excited to join the North Platte Community College family and the community as well. I want to thank Dr. Tomanek, Coach O’Connor and the whole hiring committee for giving me this unbelievable opportunity and showing the confidence in me. I do look forward to working with the team to bring a new era, a new everything to the women’s program here at North Platte. The family and I are ready to get started on July 2.”

 Thurman will also serve as the assistant activities coordinator in North Platte.