Women’s team tops the leader board in first rodeo of season

Chadron State’s first rodeo of the season was a success for the women’s team. Two cowgirls led their team to first place overall at the home rodeo last weekend.

Kaylee Gallino, junior of Wasta, S.D., would have placed first with a time of 15.07 seconds in the long round in barrels, but her horse tipped the second barrel over.

“My barrel horse really liked the grounds, I just should have rode him better,” Gallino said. “That made me mad, but evidently it made me rope a little better.”

Gallino made up for her tipped barrel with a first place seat in both the long and short rounds of breakaway roping.

She had a time of 3.3 seconds in the long go, and 2.9 seconds in the short go.

Teammate Kelsey Scott, junior of Douglas, Wyo., followed close behind Gallino with second place positions in both rounds of breakaway as well.

She had times of 3.4 seconds and 3.2 seconds in the long and short round, respectively.

“A calf that I drew ran a little slower than the rest, so it took longer for the rope to break away, but I felt really good about the run,” Scott said.

Two-time College National Finals Rodeo participant Whitten Hoover, junior of Ainsworth, placed first overall in bareback broncs this past weekend, aiding in the men’s team’s fifth place standing.

Hoover’s ride in the long round, with a score of 75, tied him in first with two other men.

His 74-point ride in the short round pulled him ahead of the pack for first place overall.

Hoover accredits his good rides to the quality rough stock provided by Burch Livestock of Casper, Wyo.

“I felt like I had a good ride, but it definitely helps when you have good stock to get on,” Hoover said. “I drew really good horses.”

Chadron State newcomers Miles Spickelmeir, junior of Imperial, and Russell Hipke, freshman of Stuart, placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in the short round of steer wrestling.

Spickelmeir had a time of 15.2 in the long round and 5.7 seconds in the short round.

Hipke’s run in the long round was 15.3 seconds and 8.5 seconds in the short round.

Rodeo Coach Dustin Luper said he is pleased with how the rodeo went, his team’s performances, and the support from the community.

“I think people are starting to see that Chadron State has a rodeo team,” Luper said.
“Caught them sleeping, we did.”

The next rodeo is Sept. 17–19 at Central Wyoming College in Riverton.