Rodeo is back in the saddle at home

Chadron State’s Rodeo team has seven incoming freshmen and five transfer students to supplement the 19 veterans.

The first rodeo of the season is at home at the Dawes County Fairgrounds Friday through Sunday.

Performances are at 7 p.m. Friday and 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday. The short go will be 10 a.m. Sunday.
Slack will be run 1 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. Saturday.

Head Coach Dustin Luper said the fairgrounds are “not the best facilities, so it takes a lot of work to get them ready.”

The team has been pitching in the last week to prepare the grounds for their event.

Luper said there are several contestants to watch for at this weekend’s rodeo.

Freshman Kaycee Werdel of Chadron is expected to “jump up and be a contender” on the women’s team, Luper said. She competes in both barrel racing and breakaway and team ropings.

“She’s a pretty decorated hero in high school rodeo,” he said.

Adding to the women’s team, Kaylee Gallino, junior of Wasta, S.D., was mere points away from competing in barrel racing at the College National Finals Rodeo last semester.

She ended the season sitting sixth in the Central Rocky Mountain Region in barrels. She also competes in breakaway roping.

Kelsey Scott, junior of Douglas, Wyo., specializes in breakaway and team roping.

Scott ended last year’s season seventh in the Central Rocky Mountain Region in breakaway roping.

Marcy Hendersen, junior of Deer Trail, Colo., transferred from Northeastern Junior College in Sterling, Colo. She is a triple hitter in goat tying and breakaway and team roping. She finished out her rodeo career at Northeastern holding on to 14th place in the Central Rocky Mountain Region in breakaway roping.
Four of the six contestants on CSC’s men’s point team are transfers.

Jake Kraupie, junior of Bridgeport and transfer from Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington, ended last semester in seventh in steer wrestling for his former college.

He will be competing in team roping for CSC as well.

Another transfer, Tyrel Bonnet, junior of Newell, S.D., is a steer wrestler and team roper from Sheridan Community College.

Miles Spickelmier, junior of Imperial and transfer from Laramie Community College, will participate in team and calf ropings and steer wrestling.

The final transfer for the men’s point team is Justin Ellis, junior of Kirby, Wyo. He is a bull rider from Central Wyoming College in Riverton.

Ellis has competed on the Professional Rodeo Circuit.

“He’s pretty tall for a bull rider, but he does it,” Luper said.

Whitten Hoover, junior of Ainsworth, is returning for his third CSC rodeo season. In the past two years he made it to the College National Finals Rodeo, placing 11th in bareback broncs. Hoover landed the number two seat in bareback bronc in the Central Rocky Mountain Region at the end of last semester.

Clinton Lambrecht, sophomore of Wood River, wraps up the point team roster. He is a steer wrestler and team roper.

The next rodeo is set for Sept. 17 through 19 at Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyo.