NORTHWESTERN RODEO TEAM STARTS SEASON WITH A WIN

The Northwestern Oklahoma State University women’s rodeo started the spring season with a win at Kansas State University last weekend and the men’s team placed third.

“Our freshman girls really stepped up this past weekend,” said coach Tim Kolb. “That speaks volumes about our future in the collegiate rodeo arena. I promised a win at the “All Sports” pep assembly and that’s exactly what happened—our women’s team won the rodeo and our men’s team finished third. We’re all really excited, and we’re looking for more wins from both teams as the spring season progresses.

Results for the women are as follows:

Breakaway Roping

• Robbie Lynn Wilson, LeMoyne, Neb., junior—Long round, 3.4 seconds, 10th; short round, 2.6 seconds, 1st; average, 1st.
• Jade Inlow, Oakley, Kan., freshman—Long round, 3.2 seconds, 8th; short round, 4.1 seconds, 4th; average, 4th.
• Jessica Binder, Inman, Kan., freshman—Long round, 2.9 seconds, 5th; short round, 5.1 seconds, 5th; average, 5th.
• Toya Vogt, Corn freshman—Long round, 2.8 seconds, three-way tie for 2nd; short round, no time.

Goat Tying

• Vogt—Long round, 6.8 seconds, 1st; short round, 10.3 seconds, 8th; average, 8th.

Results for the men are as follows:

Bareback Riding

§         Scotty Harmon, Norcator, Kan., junior—Long round, 68 points, 6th; short round, 57 points (refused reride offer), 6th; average, 6th.

§         Kenny Feidler, Baltimore, Md., sophomore—Long round, 62 points, tie for 9th; short round, 44 points (refused reride offer), 7th; average, 7th.

Tie-Down Roping

§         Luke Blanton, Lamont senior—Long round, 9.0 seconds, 1st; short round, 8.7 seconds, 1st; average, 1st.

Steer Wrestling

§         Brandon Voker, Auburn, Neb., junior—Long Round, 5.1 seconds, 9th; short round, 6.7 seconds, 5th; average, 5th.

• Tyler Ricke, Attica, Kan., junior—Long round, 4.4 seconds, 2nd; short round, 7.7 seconds, 6th; average, 6th.
• Wade Kunze, Morehead, Iowa, senior—Long round, 5.0 seconds, three-way tie for 6th; short round, no time.
• Blanton—Long round, 5.0 seconds, three-way tie for 6th; long round, no time.

Team Roping

• Coleman Proctor, Miami senior, and Kyle Linaweaver from Southeastern Oklahoma State University—Long round, 6.4 seconds, 4th; short round, 6.8 seconds, 1st; average, 1st.

• Taylor Pingry, Arkansas City, Kan., junior, and Mark Miller, Stratford, Texas, junior—Long round, 6.8 seconds, 6th; short round, no time.

Bull Riding

• Clay Cudmore, Cherokee sophomore—Long round, 74 points, 5th; short round, bucked off; average, 5th.

The K-State rodeo is the fourth of 10 in which the teams will compete during the 2007-2008 season. Next up for the Rangers will be the Garden City (Kan.) Community College rodeo this weekend.

NORTHWESTERN ALUMNUS PERFORMS WELL AT NFR

Stockton Graves

Stockton Graves, 2002 graduate of Northwestern Oklahoma State University and former member of the Ranger rodeo team, competed in the recently completed Professional Cowboys Rodeo Association’s National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas. 

The NFR features the top 15 money earners in each event in a 10-day competition that ended Saturday, Dec. 15.  Standings are determined by how much money each cowboy wins during the year in each event in some 700 PRCA rodeos in 41 states and four Canadian provinces.

The NFR posts nearly $5 million total prize money for the 10 rounds. First place in each round in each event was worth more than $16,000 and prize money was paid for the first six places. The average or “aggregate” (the best total times or scores for the 10 rounds) paid approximately $42,000 for first place and lesser amounts through eighth place. Money earned during the NFR is added to that earned during the regular season to determine the year’s champion in each event.

Graves, from Newkirk, competed for the fourth straight year in the steer wrestling event. At the start of the NFR, Graves was in 3rd place in his event with earnings of $96,875.

During the NFR, he won round seven and placed in four others. Graves was fourth in the average and earned a total of $49,182 during the NFR. That placed him fifth in the year’s final standings with total earnings of $146,058.

Also participating in the NFR was Jhett Johnson, a student at Northwestern from 1989 to 1991, who qualified as a heeler in the team roping. From Casper, Wyo., Johnson qualified 10th with earnings of $67,104. He earned $24,062 during the NFR and remained in 10th place overall. It was his second appearance in Las Vegas.

ANNUAL RANGER RODEO STARTS THURSDAY,
APPROXIMATELY 500 CONTESTANTS EXPECTED

Megan McMahan

The annual Ranger Rodeo presented by Northwestern Oklahoma State University will have its opening performance at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, at the Woods County Fairgrounds Arena. More than 500 student competitors from 20-plus colleges and universities are expected to participate. The rodeo is a sanctioned event of the Central Plains Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Performances start at 7:30 p.m., on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $6 for adults and $4 for children. Tickets are being sold by all rodeo team members and by coach Tim Kolb, who can be reached at (580) 327-8688. They also will be sold at the gate.

“Everyone should be really excited about the rodeo because it is a great event for the community,” Kolb said. “That many competitors, along with their families and friends, being in town for at least two days mean a real boost to the community’s economy.”

Barring inclement weather, “Rodeo Days” will be held on the square for Alva’s elementary school children on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until approximately 2 p.m. Rodeo team members will be on hand to explain the different events and demonstrate some of them.

Ten to 12 contestants in each of the nine collegiate rodeo events will be on center stage

during the Thursday and Friday night performances. The top 10 in each event will return for the championship go-round on Saturday night.

The events are bareback bronc riding, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, breakaway calf roping, steer wrestling, goat tying, team roping, barrel racing and bull riding. Two sections of the popular bull riding event will be run on Thursday and Friday nights.

The rest of the contestants will appear in the “slack” performances starting at 9 a.m. on both Friday and Saturday. Participation in the performance or slack rounds is decided by random draw.

Special events will occur at each evening performance. On Thursday night, Northwestern student teams will attempt to milk wild cows and students will be admitted for $4 with a current I.D. card.

Friday will be children’s night and will feature a children’s calf scramble. Several animals will be marked to denote prize winners.

On Saturday night, when event and team winners are determined, there will be a relay race up and down the arena by cowboys and cowgirls representing different schools. However, they will all be on foot—not horseback.

Tim Fuller of Tulsa, who last announced the Ranger Rodeo in 2003, will be making a return appearance as public address announcer. He has been announcing rodeos for the past 17 years and has appeared at the Dodge National Circuit Finals, Dodge Prairie Circuit Finals and National High School Finals, among other top rodeos. He also has served as master of ceremonies for the Miss Rodeo America Pageant and a variety of agricultural farm shows in Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

The bullfighters are home grown—or at least members of the Northwestern rodeo team. Wade Kunze is a senior from Moorhead, Iowa, and competes in steer wrestling, as well as performing cowboy protection duties.

Wacey Munsell is a transfer from Dodge City (Kan.) Community College. He was the 2005 and 2006 PBR Dickie’s World Champion Freestyle Bullfighter.

“Our team has been busy getting ready for our rodeo and practicing hard so they can make a good showing at home,” Kolb said. “I’m really proud of our student-athletes and their

diligence because putting on a rodeo this size takes a lot of work. In addition, our practice sessions last about three and a half hours each day, and every team member is there. They work hard, and I know it is going to pay off.”

Northwestern currently has a number of students in the top 15 in Central Plains rankings

COLLEGE FINALS RODEO TO BE FEATURED ON CSTV IN AUGUST 

The College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) will be featured during the month of August on College Sports Television (CSTV) with three separate shows being broadcast. 

CNFR action begins airing on Friday, Aug. 3, at 8 p.m. (CDT), with the additional episodes premiering at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 10, and at 8 p.m., Friday, Aug. 17. Each of these one-hour programs will have numerous additional airings during the month. A complete schedule can be found by clicking on the “On Air” button at http://www.cstv.com.

Northwestern Oklahoma State University had six members of its rodeo team competing at the CNFR, held in June in Casper, Wyo.

At the end of the rodeo, Teddi Winfrey, Plains, Kan., senior, placed fifth nationally in goat tying and also competed in breakaway roping. Although Winfrey was the only Ranger woman at the CNFR, she earned 160 points in goat tying, good enough to place Northwestern 10th among the 31 women’s teams competing in the rodeo.

Winfrey won the women’s all-around and breakaway roping titles in the Central Plains Region and was third in goat tying.

Mitch Barney, Logan, Iowa, senior, and Coleman Proctor, Miami junior, finished eighth nationally in the team roping event. Barney and Proctor were Central Plains champions in team roping. Barney also won the regional steer wrestling title and was reserve champion all-around cowboy.

Also competing at the CNFR were Tyler Johnson, Mound City, Kan., junior; K.W. Lauer, Buffalo senior, and Justin Binder, Inman, Kan., senior.

The CNFR telecasts will show action from the finals, including interviews and features from the entire finals week and portions of the awards ceremony. The live audience for the event broke all records.

CSTV is available via satellite and cable companies.

THREE RANGER RODEO TEAM MEMBERS IN TOP 10 NATIONALLY

Three members of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team competing in the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) have finished the year in the top 10 of their respective events.

Teddi Winfrey, Plains, Kan., senior, was fifth in goat tying after placing fourth in round one at 6.5 seconds, second in round two at 6.6 seconds and 27th in round three at 7.7 seconds. She made the championship round of the 10 competitors with the fastest times and placed sixth at 7.3 seconds.

She did not do as well in breakaway roping, finishing 22nd, tied for 29th and 29th in the three rounds.

Although Winfrey was the only Ranger woman at the CNFR, she earned 160 points in goat tying, good enough to place Northwestern 10th among the 31 women’s teams competing in the rodeo. That point total would have placed her third in the all-around cowgirl standings, but although Winfrey competed in two events, she was not considered for the all-around title since she earned no points in breakaway roping.

Winfrey won the women’s all-around and breakaway roping titles in the Central Plains Region and was third in goat tying.

Mitch Barney, Logan, Iowa, senior, and Coleman Proctor, Miami junior, finished eighth in the team roping event. The duo was 29th in the first round at 23.5 seconds, 13th in the second round with 11.0 seconds and 18th in the third round with 12.3 seconds. In the championship round, they placed seventh with a time of 22.2 seconds.

Barney and Proctor were Central Plains champions in team roping. Barney also won the regional steer wrestling title and was reserve champion all-around cowboy.

Tyler Johnson, Mound City, Kan., junior, placed sixth in the first round of tie down roping with a time of 10.1 seconds and 11th in the second round, also with a time of 10.1 seconds. He received a “no time” in the third round and therefore missed the championship round.

Other Rangers at the CNFR were K.W. Lauer, Buffalo senior, and Justin Binder, Inman, Kan., senior, both of whom competed in team roping.

In addition to their other events, Johnson competed in team roping and Barney in steer wrestling.

The men’s team finished 43rd among 51 teams.

“I’m very proud of what our teams accomplished this year,” said Tim Kolb, rodeo coach. “However, the timed event cattle at the CNFR were very uneven. We were very disappointed by the caliber of cattle at this very prestigious event.

“The cattle are provided by the contractor with the lowest bid and they certainly got what they paid for. With that said, finishing fifth in the nation in goat tying and eighth in the nation in team roping speaks volumes about our student-athletes.”

“With our returning team members and the recruits who have chosen Northwestern,” Kolb added, “I expect the team to be stronger next year than this, and I feel this was certainly the best year our program has ever had.”

RANGERS IN WYOMING FOR COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

Six members of the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team are deep in their final preparations for the 59th College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR). Competition in the annual event starts Sunday, June 10, at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo.

Cowboys and cowgirls qualify for the national finals by finishing in the top three in the individual events in regional competition. Northwestern competes in the Central Plains Region, comprised of two and four year schools in Oklahoma and Kansas and a few from Missouri.

Teddi Winfrey, Plains, Kan., senior, will represent the women’s team in the breakaway roping and goat tying events. She won the women’s all-around and breakaway roping titles in the region and was third in goat tying.

Mitch Barney, Logan, Iowa, senior, was the reserve champion all-around cowboy and won the steer wrestling and team roping heading titles.

Barney’s team roping partner, Coleman Proctor, Miami junior, won the heeling title, and K.W. Lauer, Buffalo senior, was second to Barney as a team roping header. He ropes with Jesse Kulczycki of Southwestern Oklahoma State University.

Other members of the men’s team will be Tyler Johnson, Mound City, Kan., junior, and Justin Binder, Inman, Kan., senior, who will compete in team roping. Johnson also will be in tie down roping.

The Northwestern men’s team finished second in the region. Coach Tim Kolb explained that “teams are chosen on events (six) rather than by individuals, that’s why we’re taking only five individuals. Mitch (Barney) got two events because of being reserve all-around. All points acquired by all team members will count toward points for national year-end honors.”

It also means that while Winfrey is the only Ranger woman competing, any points she earns also will count toward women’s team honors.

“I’m very proud of what our entire rodeo team has accomplished this year,” Kolb said. “I feel that we truly have a legitimate chance of winning a national title.

“We had at least 18 other student-athletes who were in striking distance of making the CNFR. With the class we have recruited for next year, I fully expect our teams to come back as strong, if not stronger.”

The random draw for position took place June 1. All CNFR contestants will check-in Saturday, June 9, and attend an orientation meeting and a family barbeque.

Competition gets underway on Sunday, with special “Bulls, Broncs & Breakaway” performances at 1 and 4 p.m. “Slack” competition in all events will be held beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The slack is for contestants who cannot be accommodated in the evening “performance” section of each go-round. There are 45-50 contestants in each event and 10-12 of those appear in evening performances. The others register their scores or times in the slack.

Evening performances will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, June 12-15. The top performers from the first three go-rounds will compete for national titles in each event in the championship round at 7 p.m., Saturday, June 16. The championship round will be televised on the College Sports TV network (CSTV) throughout the summer. Viewers should check local listings for times. CSTV is available on Comcast, Time Warner, Adelphia and Insight cable systems and DirecTV and DISH Network satellite systems.

Results will be available daily on the CNFR’s web site: http://www.cnfr.com/.

Appearances by Northwestern team members is scheduled as follows:

Sunday, June 10—Winfrey, breakaway roping, performance.

Monday, June 11—Johnson, tie-down roping, slack; Barney, steer wrestling, slack; Barney, Proctor, Johnson, Binder and Lauer, team roping, slack; Winfrey, goat tying, slack.

Tuesday, June 12—Johnson, tie-down roping, slack and performance; Barney, steer wrestling, slack; Lauer, Johnson, Binder, Barney and Proctor, team roping, slack; Lauer, team roping, performance; Winfrey, breakaway roping, slack; Winfrey, goat typing, slack.

Wednesday, June 13—Barney, steer wrestling, performance; Barney, Proctor, Johnson and Binder, team roping, performance.

Thursday, June 14—Winfrey, breakaway roping, performance; Winfrey, goat typing, performance.

LAUREN MILLER SIGNS RODEO LETTER AT NORTHWESTERN
 

Lauren Miller (seated center) of Harrisonville signs a letter of intent to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University and participate with the rodeo team. Observing the ceremony are her parents Scott and Marcia and Northwestern coach Tim Kolb (standing).

Lauren Miller, a senior at Harrisonville High School, has signed a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) letter of intent to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University and participate with the Ranger rodeo team.

Miller will compete in breakaway roping and barrel racing.

“We are very happy to have Lauren at Northwestern,” said Tim Kolb, rodeo coach. “She has a great work ethic, practicing and competing with an intensity we seldom see in a student athlete. I expect her to make an immediate impact on our rodeo team and the entire region.”

Northwestern competes in the Central Plains Region of NIRA and each fall produces its own three-day intercollegiate rodeo.

AUSTIN AMBROSE SIGNS RODEO LETTER AT NORTHWESTERN
 

Austin Ambrose (seated center) of Fletcher signs a letter of intent to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University and participate with the rodeo team. Observing the ceremony are his parents Cal and Cindy and Northwestern coach Tim Kolb (standing).

Austin Ambrose, a senior at Fletcher High School, has signed a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association letter of intent to attend Northwestern Oklahoma State University and participate with the Ranger rodeo team.

Ambrose will compete in bull riding.

“Austin is an outstanding student athlete,” said Tim Kolb, Northwestern rodeo coach. “We feel very fortunate he has selected Northwestern to continue his education, as well as his intercollegiate rodeo career.

“He practices and competes with an intensity that we seldom see in a student athlete. Austin’s athleticism and work ethic is phenomenal and I feel he will be a tremendous asset, not only to the rodeo team, but the entire Northwestern community.”

RODEO TEAM TO PREPARE FOR COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

For the next six weeks, the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team will be preparing for its largest representation ever at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR).

By virtue of finishing second in the Central Plains Region team competition, the men will send a full complement of five competitors as a team in the rodeo. The CNFR will be held June 10-16 in Casper, Wyo.

The Ranger women’s team finished third, fewer than 200 points behind the second place team. Only the top two teams and top three individuals in each event from each region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) go on to the national rodeo.

However, Teddi Winfrey, Plains, Kan., senior, will represent the women’s team in the breakaway roping and goat tying events. She won the women’s all-around and breakaway roping titles in the region and was third in goat tying.

Mitch Barney, Logan, Iowa, senior, was the reserve champion all-around cowboy and won the steer wrestling and team roping heading titles.

Barney’s team roping partner, Coleman Proctor, Miami junior, won the heeling title, and K.W. Lauer, Buffalo senior, was second to Barney as a team roping header.

Other members of the men’s team will be Tyler Johnson, Mound City, Kan., junior, and Justin Binder, Inman, Kan., senior, who will compete in team roping. Johnson also will be in tie down roping.

Since Barney was the reserve champion in the all-around competition, by definition he has to compete in more than one event. Therefore, he counts as two members on the six-man team.

The team completed its last regular season rodeo at the end of April at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, with the women’s team winning the event. Complete results are as follows:

Bareback Riding

• Dan Weil, Edna, Kan., senior—Long round, 72 points, tie for 3rd; short round, 70 points, 6th; average, 4th.

Saddle Bronc Riding

• Brett Olive, Ford, Kan., senior—Long round, 73 points, tie for 1st; short round, bucked off.

Tie-Down Roping

• Brandon Seufer, Holly, Colo., junior—Long round, 9.5 seconds, 2nd; short round, 9.9 seconds, 3rd; average, 2nd.
• Lauer—Long round, 10.6 seconds, 6th; short round, 10.1 seconds, 4th; average, 5th.
• Tyler Macoubrie, Paola, Kan., sophomore—Long round, 9.9 seconds, 3rd; short round, missed calf; average, 6th (because only five calves were roped in short round).

Steer Wrestling

• Barney—Long round, 5.3 seconds, 5th; short round, 5.4 seconds, 4th; average, 5th.

Team Roping

§         Zac Freeman, Garden City, Kan., senior, and Jamie Elwood from Garden City Community College (Kan.)—Long round, 8.2 seconds, 8th; short round, 7.7 seconds, 3rd; average, tie for 4th.

§         Macoubrie and Clay Leisher, Beaver sophomore—Long round, 6.0 seconds, 2nd; short round, missed calf.

Breakaway Roping

§         Robbie Lynn Wilson, LeMoyne, Neb., sophomore—Long round, 2.3 seconds, tie for 1st; short round, 2.7 seconds, tie for 1st; average, tie for 1st.

§         Randi Newman, Sparta, Mo., sophomore—Long round, 2.4 seconds,  tie for 3rd; short round, missed calf.

§         Katie Neville, Tipton, Iowa, freshman—Long round, 2.7 seconds, 8th; short round, missed calf.

Goat Tying

• Winfrey—Long round, 7.9 seconds, 4th; short round, 6.7 seconds, 1st; average, 1st.

Barrel Racing

• Wilson—Long round, 16.75 seconds, 8th; short round, 16.81 seconds, 7th; average, 7th.
• Maggie Jo Saylors, Eudora, Kan., sophomore—Long round, 16.72 seconds, 7th; short round, 16.91 seconds, 8th; average, 8th.

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