COLLEGE RODEO AWARDS NEW DODGE TRUCK

Walla Walla, WA – Micah Samples, from Abilene, Kansas, was the lucky recipient of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s 2013 Dodge Truck award.
The drawing was held at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s national office the morning of May 2nd. The NIRA’s Northwest Regional Faculty Director, Buster Barton, and the entire national office staff witnessed the drawing.
Micah Samples is a junior at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma, in the Central Plains Region. Samples is studying agriculture science.
Samples said, “I was completely shocked with the news of winning a truck! I have never won anything from a drawing, and don’t even consider myself a lucky person, so what a surprise.” She added, “I look forward to receiving it at the College Finals and making my way back to Kansas with it.”
NIRA Commissioner Roger Walters told Ms. Samples the good news over the phone that afternoon.
Commissioner Walters said, “The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association is lucky to have such a wonderful relationship with Ram. With their support and that of the student membership this award is possible.”
Walters added, “It is always a pleasure to contact one of our members each spring and share the good news. They are always shocked and doubtful. When the truth hits home the excitement in their voices is wonderful!”
“A huge thanks to the NIRA for having such an awesome drawing and giving students like myself the chance of having a very exciting phone call at the end of the year,” Samples said.
The 2013 Dodge truck will be presented during the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. The presentation will take place in the arena on Saturday, June 15th.
 

Fall Rodeo Schedule by Close Date (2012 - 2013)
 

COLLEGE RODEO ON NATIONAL TELEVISION

Walla Walla, WA –  College Rodeo will be in the television spotlight this August.  The best action from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s premiere event, the College National Finals Rodeo, will be featured on ESPN U.

       The college rodeo action begins airing on Friday, August 10th at 7:00 p.m. EASTERN Time.  

       ESPN U will be airing two hours of collegiate rodeo competition from the 2012 College National Finals Rodeo, held in Casper, Wyoming, this June.           

       The exciting action of the finals also includes interviews and features from the entire finals week and portions of the awards ceremony.

       Hosting the ESPN U College Rodeo series are Boyd Polhamus and Bob Tallman.  The Wyoming Division of Tourism is the presenting sponsor, with fellow supporters; Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, Copper Spring Ranch, RAM, the Casper Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the ProEquine Group, including Cactus Ropes, Cactus Saddles, Heel-O-Matic, and ProEquine.

College National Finals Rodeo tc "College National Finals Rodeo "on ESPNU

Show #1 - Premieres

Friday, August 10^th, 7:00 p.m. EASTERN Time

Show #2 - Premieres

Friday, August 10^th, 8:00 p.m. EASTERN Time

Additional airings of each show will air throughout the month of August.

June, 2012

Newly Crowned College Champions Represent Rodeo’s Rising Stars

CASPER, Wyo. --- A lot of hard work, dedication and love for the sport of rodeo paid off for 11 member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) during the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR).
The 63rd annual CNFR was held at the Casper Events Center June 10-17 with athletes representing 11 regions of the NIRA competing for national championships, scholarships, saddles, buckles and bragging rights.
Each region hosts 10 rodeos during the school year. From there, individuals and teams work to earn points to qualify for the CNFR. This year champions from schools in Missouri, South Dakota, Wyoming, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, Colorado and Washington were crowned.
When they arrived in Casper, they had three rounds of competition to look forward to. Then, the twelve contestants with the highest total scores of fastest times advanced to the finals. There were 367 athletes competing in bareback riding, breakaway roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, goat tying, team roping and bull riding. Additionally men’s and women’s all-around champions were crowned.
All three of the champions in the scored events were four-time qualifiers for the CNFR. In the bareback riding, it was Tanner Aus from Missouri (Marshall) Valley College who emerged at the top with 315 points. Aus placed in the first two rounds, came back and won the third round and was leading going into the finals. A 76.5 score sealed the deal for him.
Tyrel Larsen from Southwestern (Weatherford) Oklahoma State University came into the final round of saddle bronc riding in third place. Larsen scored 79 points, then watched while the men ahead of him stubbed their toes. Larsen, who lives in Inglis, Manitoba earned the championship with 301 points.
Tag Elliott from Utah Valley University has probably ridden as many bulls at the CNFR as anyone. The first year he qualified, 2007, he rode four bulls and finished as the reserve champion. He qualified twice more and finished in fourth and third place before winning the title this year. He won the first and third rounds and in tough bull riding, lead the field with 167.5 points on two head. As he watched competitors fall, Elliott knew that he was the champion regardless of what happened in the final round. He still gave it a valiant effort, but bucked off at 7.94 seconds.
“I really wanted to ride that last bull,” Elliott said. He qualified for the CNFR his first three years for the College of Southern Idaho at Twin Falls. “I had come so close (to winning) before. This means so much to me and my family.”
The only repeat winner was Liz Combs who has won back-to-back barrel racing titles for Sam Houston State University. Combs, from Eltopia, Wash., has ridden her great horse Boogie around the barrels eight times in the Casper Events Center. Her final round time of 13.91 seconds was the fastest of the whole rodeo and gave her a total time of 57.47 seconds.
The goat tying win was especially rewarding for Lacey Tech from Fairfax, S.D., who is attending Central Wyoming College (CWC). Tech is the first woman from CWC to earn this title since her coach Lynn Smith won it in 1998. She tied her four goats in 26.4 seconds for the title. Tech’s coaches, Lynn and Rick Smith have accepted positions at Cochise College in Douglas, Ariz. Tech helped their women’s team finish in second place behind Texas (Lubbock) Tech University.
Another South Dakotan, Joey Panter from Buffalo won the breakaway roping in 13.0 seconds for Black Hills State University in Spearfish, S.D. In steer wrestling, it was another Utah Valley University athlete that earned the title. Ben Carson from Orem, Utah had three runs totaling 17.9 seconds. The tie-down roping was won by Chant DeForest from Wheatland, Calif., who competed for Western Oklahoma (Altus) State College. DeForest had a total time of 36.2 seconds on four runs.
Team ropers Tyler Schnaufer and Shay Carroll made the most of their last opportunity to rope together in the college ranks by winning the championship with a total time of 24.9 seconds on three runs. Schnaufer competed for the University of Wyoming at Laramie where he will return next fall. Carroll made his last appearance for Northeastern Junior College at Sterling, Colo. He is transferring to Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, next fall so they will be in different regions.
“We’ve roped together since we were about eight-years-old,” Carroll said. “This was our last opportunity here. I guess it was a perfect ending to the story.”
The men’s team championship went to Walla Walla (Wash.) Community College for the second time in four years. Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, who won the title finished in second.
Helping Walla Walla Community College win the men’s team title was Bryce Palmer who earned the men’s all-around title competing in tie-down and team roping. Freshman Haden Segelke won the women’s title earning points in barrel racing and goat tying.
Plans are already underway for the 2013 CNFR which will be held 8-15 at the Casper Events Center.

Sonny Hansen Named 2012 NIRA Coach of the Year

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Board of Directors unanimously voted to award the 2012 Coach of the Year to Sonny Hansen. Sonny was the embodiment of the award title. It is painful to use the verb “was” as Sonny won’t be able to accept the award himself, as college rodeo lost this cowboy in September of 2011.
Sonny Hansen lost his life in a tragic horse accident during a rodeo practice. Sonny was protecting the lives of his cowboys as a pick-up man.
Sonny was the rodeo coach at Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, for over fifteen years. He was a college rodeo competitor, sat on the NIRA’s board as a student director, student president, and a faculty director for the Northwest Region. He was a volunteer at the College National Finals Rodeo for years, been known to sing the National Anthem when needed, and has been one of the elite pick-up men since 2009, sharing the job with one of his dearest friends, Billy Ward.
NIRA Commissioner, Roger Walters said, “This award, though given posthumously, is proof that Sonny’s spirit and legacy lives on in college rodeo. We are lucky to have such an outstanding individual to be named NIRA Coach of the Year.”
Sonny’s family, wife Jackie, and sons Clayton and Chase, are planning to be in Casper for the presentation of the buckle.
 

Riding Against Child Abuse gets an unexpected gift

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Dakota Eldridge recently donated rodeo earnings to the Walla Walla Exchange Club for their work with child abuse prevention. The Walla Walla Exchange Club has partnered with the Walla Walla Community College rodeo for 43 years to help prevent child abuse.
Eldridge is a timed event cowboy attending the Northwest Region’s Blue Mountain Community College in Pendleton, Oregon. Eldridge, from Elko, Nevada, won the all-around, tie-down roping, and team roping events at the Walla Walla rodeo March 10-11. Eldridge is also a two-time qualifier to the College National Finals Rodeo.
“I have led such a blessed and fortunate life, with rodeo bringing me some of the greatest opportunities, friends, memories and experiences. I thought it would be neat to see my winnings go towards helping someone achieve such opportunities, experiences and memories as well,” said Eldridge. He added, “My parents and family members have given my rodeo career tremendous support, and I will be forever grateful for that. I want to give back to others who might not have the amount of support that I do.”
Walla Walla Community College Rodeo Coach, Buster Barton, said, “It’s great to see young adults give back to a community. Dakota couldn’t have picked a better cause, we are very happy to have the support.”
The proceeds from the rodeo will go to the Walla Walla Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse.
Eldridge said, “I actually want to start helping good causes such as the ‘Riding Against Child Abuse’ much more throughout my rodeo career. I really admire Buster Barton and Ted Milgard, assistant rodeo coach, for the work they put into the cause and rodeo, they are great role models for young rodeo cowboys, such as myself.”
Last summer Eldridge was able to spend time with a local boy who had not been fortunate enough to attend rodeos. “This boy doesn’t really have the opportunity to go to rodeos like I do and I could not believe how much it meant to that little guy to be able to go to a rodeo and get a hot dog, it was like he as in 7th heaven, and those types of experiences are something I took for granted all my life. Looking back, I can’t believe how fortunate I was to have had rodeo, family and friends so strongly in my life. He was one of the biggest influences for me to start giving back to others as much as I can. I really want to help others who aren’t as fortunate to create memories, and achieve their dreams, like I have.”
 

College National Finals Rodeo Chooses Casper for Another Decade!

Casper, WY –  The City of Casper, Natrona County, and the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) are proud to announce the signing of a ten year contract to host the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR).  A public signing ceremony will be hosted at City Hall on Wednesday, May 4 at 9:00 am.

NIRA Commissioner, Roger Walters states, “We could not be happier to be signing this extension.  The City of Casper, Natrona County, and the State of Wyoming have created an exceptional home for the College National Finals Rodeo.  We are honored to partner with these great entities, and the great people of Wyoming.”  

The CNFR proves to be a signature event for the state of Wyoming generating approximately $1 million dollars in economic impact annually.  In 2009, the CNFR was voted and honored by the Sports Travel Magazine as the “Best Multi-Sport or Multi-Discipline Collegiate Event.” 

We welcome the nation’s best college cowboys and cowgirls in an effort to win national titles in saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying.  

The new ten year contract will be effective beginning in July 2012 through June 2022.

 CNFR DATES

2011          June 12-18
2012          June 10-16
2013          June 9-15
2014          June 15-21
2015          June 14-20
2016          June 12-18
2017          June 11-17
2018          June 10-16
2019          June 9-15
2020          June 14-20
2021          June 13-19
2022          June 12-18

More CNFR event information at www.caspereventscenter.com and at NIRA’s web pages: www.collegerodeo.com and www.CNFR.com