Bareback Cord Hesseltine– Cord Hesseltine, of Halsey, rides a bronc for the MPCC Rodeo Team during the Iowa State University Cyclone Stampede in Ames, Iowa earlier this month. The team is currently leading the mens team standings in the Great Plains Region. (Photo courtesy of TF Event Photography)
The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team has the Number One Mens Team in the Great Plains Region. Thats according to standings from the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
The success follows on the heels of a milestone the team achieved at its hometown rodeo Sept. 16-17 in North Platte, where MPCC won its first rodeo ever as a team.
The college then finished second in the Mens Team standings – not once, but twice following four days of competition in Iowa.
Members competed at the Iowa Central Community College rodeo in Fort Dodge, Iowa on Sept. 29-30 then at the Iowa State University Cyclone Stampede in Ames, Iowa on Oct. 1-2. They placed second in the mens team standings in both locations.
Its a great feeling to be where were at, but were not finished, said Dustin Elliott, MPCC Rodeo Team rough stock coach. This sport is very humbling, so we cant get ahead of ourselves. We can be on top of the heap one week and at the bottom of the barrel the next week.
Individual results in Iowa were as follows:
Iowa Central Rodeo:
Team Roping:
First – Tanner Freeman, Dunning
Third – Reece Weber, Valentine
Seventh – Chandler Comfort, Gem, Kan.
Bull Riding:
Second – Garrett Wickett, Norfolk
Fourth – Hunter Baker Cattaraugus, N.Y.
Bareback Riding:
Fourth – Rowdy Moon, Sargent
Tie-down Roping:
Fifth – Riley Weehler Maloy, Iowa
Seventh – Tanner Freeman, Dunning
Breakaway Roping:
Sixth – Kaile Jacobson Haiku, Hawaii
Cyclone Stampede:
Bull riding:
First – Garrett Wickett, Norfolk
Fourth Sam Elliott, Prineville, Ore.
Fifth – Keaghan Gomes, Pukalani, Hawaii
Bareback riding:
Second Rowdy Moon, Sargent
Steer wrestling:
Second- Kris Rasmussen, Riverdale
Sixth – Tanner Freeman, Dunning
Team roping:
Fifth – Rhett OConnor, Paxton, and Wyatt Killion, Ainsworth
Tie-down roping:
Sixth – Rhett OConnor, Paxton
The MPCC Rodeo Team will head to Fargo, N.D. on Oct. 21-22 to compete in the final NIRA fall rodeo, which will be hosted by North Dakota State University. Elliott is optimistic about the competition.
We traditionally do well up there, said Elliott. Last year, Reece [Weber] and Trey [Engel] were individual winners. Im looking forward to continuing that tradition and to continuing to grow our team standings as well.
