Local HS Rodeo athletes qualify for Nationals
BURWELL - The Nebraska High School State Finals Rodeo took place in Burwell June 17-20 to see who would qualify for Nationals in Guthrie, Okla. July 17-23. The top four in each event qualified.
I attended the first two performances Thursday. My experience in the past is that it is usually sunny, hot and humid. This year the temperatures only reached the 70s on Thursday and Friday and earlier in the day was chilly at times with people wearing jackets on occasion. There was not really much for dust as rain the night before dampened that.
In my opinion, not only was the weather perfect for some great rodeo competition, but it was also nice seeing all the young cowboys and cowgirls being able to compete again and their fans being able to get out and support them. It was nice not seeing masks being worn everywhere and people just out and about having conversation and fun. For a moment it was like COVID-19 didn’t exist and people’s lives were normal again.
One of our local cowgirls, Madison Mills and her horse Dusty of Eddyville, was this year’s champion in Pole Bending. Madison also qualified for Nationals in Barrel Racing by placing third and ended up being the 2020 Year End Girls All-Around Reserve.
Last year at Nationals in Rock Springs, Wyo. Madison finished 5th overall in Pole Bending and 46th overall in Barrels. Her horse, Dusty, was honored with the AQHA Horse of the Year.
Madison stated that having missed so many rodeos this spring due to COVID-19 the Panhandle and Harrison Rodeos the first weekend of June were more about being able to have the rodeos rather then the competition itself.
At the state finals in Burwell some of the horses were not as tuned as they should have been and everyone was a little rusty. However, Madison stated that it feels good being out there again. She was happy with her performance at state.
This fall Madison will be a senior. She stated that her goal has been to make it to Nationals every year in at least one event which she has been able to accomplish so far. Her goal at Nationals this year is to make the Short Go in both Poles and Barrels. Last year she just made it in Poles.
In the few weeks before Nationals, Madison and Dusty will be putting in a lot of hours getting ready. They rotate the days they practice and exercise so they stay in shape and tuned for Nationals.
The other 2020 event state champions were Guage McBride of Kearney in Bareback Riding, Elle Ravenscroft of Nenzel in Barrel Racing, Hayden Jennings of Seneca in Boys Cutting, Tehya From of Crookston in Breakaway Roping, Guage McBride of Kearney on Bull Riding, Faith Storer of Arthur in Girls Cutting, Emma ohm of Hyannis in Goat Tying, Sage Miller of Springview in Saddle Bronc, Rhett Witt of Valentine in Steer Wrestling, Chance Symons of Mitchell and Tanner Whetham of morrill in Team Roping, Grant Lindsley of Osceola in Tie Down Roping, Tatum Olson of Bloomfield in Reined Cow horse, Andrea Miller of Stapleton in Light Rifle Shooting and Thayne Kimbrough of Ohiowa in Trap Shooting.
Our other local cowboys and cowgirls that qualified for Nationals are Slate Micheel of Sargent in Bareback Riding by placing 4th overall at state finals, Cooper Bass of Brewster in Boys Cutting and Reined Cow Horse by placing 4th overall in both events, Taci Flinn of Arcadia in Barrel Racing by placing 2nd overall, Jace Hurlburt of Arcadia in Breakaway Roping by placing 3rd overall, Zane Kreikemeier of Callaway and Coy Johnson of Stapleton in Team Roping by tieing for 4th/5th overall and Frazier Kaelin of Broken Bow in Light Rifle Shooting by placing 4th overall.
Dean Schroder of Sargent placed 5th overall in Saddle Bronc and is an alternate and Zack Bradley of Brewster placed 5th overall in Tie Down Roping and is an alternate.
For more photos of the High School State Finals Rodeo see B6.
Also, for photos of all our local cowboys and cowgirls at state see the Custer County Chief website at www.custercountychief.com.