Ted Rice Arena hosts junior rodeo

COULEE CITY — The Ted Rice Arena hosted 115 contestants last weekend for the Last Stand Junior Rodeo, bringing in riders under the age of 18 from around the country.

“I think it went really well,” Last Stand Junior Rodeo Secretary Emily Schultz said. “It was really smooth, we didn't have any issues.”

With weather at the arena in the mid-to-low 80s throughout the weekend, the conditions allowed both contestants and spectators to enjoy their time in Coulee City.

“The weather was nice, usually it's around 100 degrees … when we usually have our rodeo, and the weather was perfect,” Schultz said. “The kids had a lot of fun.”

Riders participated in barrel racing, dummy roping, mutton busting, calf riding, sled roping, steer riding and pole bending among other events. The riders are grouped into divisions of Little People, Peewee, Junior, Intermediate and Senior classes. The divisions are based on age and are separated between boys and girls. Little People is for ages 5 and under, Peewee for ages 5-8, Junior for ages 9-11, Intermediate for ages 11-14 and Senior up through 18.

Each age group competed in events for prizes, with the top four riders in point totals winning saddles donated by Jess Auto. Other riders earned prizes for events as well.

“Based on who accumulated the most points, they're awarded the saddle,” Schultz said. “And then we had for our reserve all around we gave away ice chests with a leather-engraved patch on top.”

Those who placed first in individual events also earned belt buckles along with a cash prize. First place won $60, second place won $40 and third place won $30 in each event.

“That's kind of our goal, is to be able to give more back to our kids, but putting on a rodeo is kind of expensive,” Schultz said.

Fundraising for the event is done through sponsors, donations and a beef raffle, with the latter being sponsored by TLC Meats. The beef cow was raffled off in two quarters and one half.

“They’re a huge sponsor in helping us,” Schultz said of TLC Meats. “That’s pretty expensive to butcher a cow.”

In the Little People class, Maddison Marchand won the barrel race and Lila Stacy won the calf stake, dummy roping, goat tying and mutton busting events.

In the Peewee boys class, Knox Peasley won the barrel race, Blaise Brewer won the sled roping and Easton Gieger won the calf stake and goat tying events. In the Peewee girls class, Charlee Rainey won the goat tying event, Chandler Leith won the calf stake and C.C. Colbert won the barrel race.

The Junior girls competition saw Jayden Chlarsen win the barrel race, Kloee Elsburg win the pole bending event, Macijean Hodgin win the breakaway and Ryanne Pyper win the goat milking and goat tying events. In the Junior boys competition, Karver Peasley won the barrel race and pole bending events and Colt Staples won the goat tying, break away and goat milking events.

Paige Sullivan won three events in the intermediate girls competition - the barrel race, pole bending and goat milking events. Lahalee Michel won cow riding, Millie Baumberger won goat tying and Kaylee Smith won the breakaway. In the intermediate boys competition, Kass Kimble won the calf stake, break away and goat milking events. Reese Kane won chute dogging and Devin Aubertin won bull riding.

In the Senior girls competition, Talliyah Timentwa won cow riding, Morgan McGuire won the barrel race, Zayda Carpenter won pole bending, Hannah Beeman won break away and Madison Baumberger won goat tying and goat milking. For the boys, CJ Schultz won chute dogging, Cooper Ives won calf roping, Peyton Robinson won bareback, Cody White won saddle bronc and Brier Selvidge won steer wrestling and goat milking.

Brock and Brynn Morgan took the title in the team roping event.

All-around winners were Kimble for the Senior/Intermediate boys, Sullivan for the Senior/Intermediate girls, Geiger for the Peewee/Junior boys and Rainey for the Peewee/Junior girls.

Schultz credited the Coulee City Rodeo Association Pro Board for their assistance in putting on the junior rodeo, saying they “we couldn’t do it without them.”

“We really wouldn't be where we are without the support of our Pro board, and I wish more pro boards would support their junior rodeos,” Schultz said.

Ian Bivona may be reached at ibivona@columbiabasinherald.com.