CHADRON, Neb. -- The Chadron State College rodeo will open the schedule in the Central Rocky Mountain Region this weekend, Sept. 15-17, at the Dawes County Fairgrounds at the north end Chadron.
With at least 500 entries anticipated there will be plenty of action and competition. Slack will be needed Friday and Saturday along with the evening performances both days so everyone can compete. The top 10 contestants in each of the nine events after the first two days will advance the finals Sunday morning, when the champions will be crowned.
The slack sessions will begin at 1 p.m. Friday and 8 a.m. Saturday. They are open to the public without charge. The evening performances will start at 7 p.m. The finals will begin at 10 o'clock Sunday, preceded by Cowboy Church at 8 a.m. in the fairgrounds grandstand.
The worship program is open to the public without charge and will include gospel music and inspirational messages.
Chadron State's new rodeo coach, Lane Day, is excited about this year's team. He believes it has lots of potential.
There are 17 cowgirls and 13 cowboys on the rosters. More than half of the women have joined the team this fall while all but four of the men competed for CSC last season. Fifteen of the women and nine of the men are Nebraskans.
The women who have returned after having reached the finals in their event(s) at one or more of the regional rodeos in 2022-23 include
Payton Gorwill, Arthur;
Hannah Hoos, Rushville;
Bailey Hurlburt, Battle Creek;
Shailey McAbee, Hyannis; and Rylee Naprestek, Gothenburg.
Two of the new cowgirls on the roster—
Brooke McCully of Mullen and
Elle Ravenscroft of Cody--were on the Eagles' basketball teams the past two years, but grew up on ranches and have switched sports. Another of the newcomers is
Makayla Wray of Ord, who was the Nebraska High School Rodeo's breakaway roping winner 2022.
Several others were four-year state high school rodeo qualifiers and also competed at the national rodeos.
The Chadron State men's team includes veterans
Parker Johnston of Maywood, who won the steer wrestling at the CSC rodeo in 2022, and
Grant Turek of St. Paul, who was the tie down roping champion at last year's home rodeo.
Other CSC cowboys who placed or were finalist at last year's rodeos in the region include
Jake Chasek of Mitchell,
Cinch Kiger of Overton, Pepper Rhine of Craig, Colo.,
Jack Skavdahl of Harrison, Colton Storer of Arthur and
Tanner Whetham of Morrill.
All four of the newcomers on this year's men's roster are freshmen.
Among those who will help make the CSC rodeo click are announcer Sugar Rey Quinn of Rapid City and bull fighter
Rowdy Moon, a former CSC bareback rider. The pickup men during the bronc riding will be Justin Kissack, Joe Wilson and Storer.
Muddy Creek Rodeo of Kyle S.D., owned by Chancey Wilson, will furnish the rough stock and the Haythorn Ranch at Arthur is providing the critters for the timed events.
General admission to the evening performances and the finals on Sunday is $10 per person except youths 12 and under who will be admitted free. There's also no charge for CSC students, employees and Golden Eagles, the retired CSC personnel.
