The Jamestown Sun
North Dakota made a strong showing at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Springfield, Ill., this year.
Teresa Visser, Spiritwood, said several North Dakota students did very well this year while driving home from Springfield Sunday. Many advanced through the preliminaries last week to the "short go," meaning they were among the top 20 competitors in each event who went on to compete in the championships Saturday.
When all the results were in, North Dakota girls did particularly well in goat tying.
Bobbi Grann of Shey-enne, N.D. placed second, and Laura Waldo of Warwick, N.D. and Jessica Bauske of Ray, N.D., finished in the top 20.
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"We have a reputation in North Dakota (in goat tying)," Visser said, state athletes having taken home many awards in recent years.
Each state is allowed four entries in each event of the finals, and with more than 100 state champions in each event, competition is pretty stiff.
Ty Breuer of Mandan, N.D., advanced to the championships in bareback riding, and Austin Visser placed 19th out of 106 competitors overall in boys' cow cutting after practicing for less than a year and riding a horse he bought in June.
"I was pretty happy with it," Austin said by phone.
"We felt like it went pretty darn well," said his mother, Teresa Visser, who credits her son's success not only to practicing but also to his coach, Robby Hansen of Wilton, N.D. Austin Visser traveled twice a week to Wilton to learn from Hansen.
Teresa Visser said the high school rodeo competitors take their sport very seriously.
"These kids work hard," she said, but they also enjoy rodeoing.
At the nationals, Teresa Visser said the North Dakota youth and their parents camped together and had a lot of fun.
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Austin Visser said meeting high school rodeo finalists from other states was a great experience and part of the fun of attending nationals.
"I got to work with a guy from Australia who helped me with my horse," he said.
Even though the finals are now over, the high school rodeo athletes won't be sitting back and relaxing after the weekend and long drive home. The rodeo season is still underway.
The Rough Rider amateur circuit in North Dakota continues Saturday and Sunday with rodeos in Max and Ray, N.D., and the season doesn't end until September.
