Story by Buffalo Bill Rodeo Communications
NORTH PLATTE, Neb - With his win at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in North Platte, bareback rider Tanner Aus got a shot in the arm.
The Granite Falls, Minn. cowboy won first place and $2405 in his event, with his score of 82 points.
It’s enough to keep him in the top fifteen in the PRCA world standings, the coveted spot where cowboys qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in December.
He knew he’d drawn a good horse with the Beutler and Son Rodeo Co. horse Pebbles, a fourteen-year-old mare.
“That horse has been consistent,” he said. It was “a good chance to place at one of Bennie (Beutler’s) rodeos. The mare “stands good (in the chutes), leaves good, and jumps and kicks down the pen.”
Aus’ year has been “a little hit or miss,” he said. But he’s grateful for what he has. “I’ve been healthy, I’ve been riding well, and I’m waiting to draw the right horses. Hopefully they’re all coming over the big Fourth of July run.”
He put on plenty of miles hitting rodeos this weekend. He drove from home to Denver, so he could fly to Fallon, Nev., and ride there. Then he flew back to Denver, drove to North Platte, then drove to Bellevue, Iowa, on to Newtown, N.D., and on home. It’s not an atypical travel schedule, but “we try to schedule them a little closer than fourteen hours apart,” he quipped.
Aus has competed at the Wrangler NFR seven times.
A win at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo is another stepping stone in an unusual year for barrel racer Summer Kosel.
The Glenham, S.D. cowgirl bested the field with a time of 17.47 seconds.
The wife and mother of four grew up in a family that raised race horses. She’s ridden and barrel raced since she was a kid, but it’s always been close to home.
When her nine-year-old chestnut gelding named Apollo came along, the superstar horse changed her life.
Because of his exceptional talent, grit and personality, Kosel is rodeoing nationwide this year, with the goal of making the Wrangler NFR.
The horse, whose registered name is Firewater French Fame, has his share of quirks, Kosel said. “He is very easy going, very well mannered, but he has to have a buddy (horse.) He cannot be tied to the trailer by himself or he will wreck the trailer and himself. He hates being stalled, so he gets kicked out (to the pasture) with the other horses. There is no special treatment for Apollo, and he likes it that way."
Trying to qualify for the Wrangler NFR means lots of driving, long hours, truck stop meals, being away from home, and rodeoing in new places, but Kosel is handling it.
“It’s an emotional roller coaster, and trying to balance everything is probably more difficult than any of it,” she said.
Part of the balancing act for Kosel is her kids. This weekend, her oldest daughter, Hope, competed at the S.D. State High School Finals Rodeo and Kosel missed seeing her compete on Saturday.
But she’s willing to juggle it all.
“Horses like him don’t just pop up every day, and God gave him to me, so I’ll give it a real go this year.”
Kosel is ranked thirteenth in the world standings.
Other champions at the 2023 Buffalo Bill Rodeo are steer wrestler Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La. (9.0 seconds on 2 head); tie-down roper Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. 15.4 seconds on 2 head); breakaway roper Jessica McMasters, Madison, Kan. (2.7 seconds); team ropers Clay Holz, Pueblo, Colo. and Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. (5.1 seconds); saddle bronc rider Jacob Benham, Dodge City, Kan. (87); and bull rider Clayton Applehans, Colby, Kan. (84 points.)
During the rodeo, the 2023 Trail Boss Award was awarded to Marty and Cindy Petersen. The couple has been involved with the Buffalo Bill Rodeo since the 1990s. Marty was president of the Nebraskaland Days board from 1994-1995, then became a rodeo committee member. Cindy has been chair of the Miss Rodeo Nebraska pageant for the last twenty years and served as a national director for the Miss Rodeo America pageant from 2013-2017. Marty will retire from the rodeo committee after tonight’s rodeo. The couple lived in North Platte before moving to Cotesfield, Neb.
NebraskalandDays activities continue next week with a junior rodeo, a prime rib feed, competitive art show, beer garden and food court, and concerts by Cody Johnson with special guests Morgan Wade and Randall King on June 23 and Jason Aldean with special guests Lainey Wilson and Conner Smith on June 24.
For more information, visit the website at NebraskalandDays.com
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Results, North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo June 14-17, 2023
All-around champion: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb.
Bareback riding – 2023 champion: Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn.
1. Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn. 81 points on 623 Nutrena’s Pebbles; 2. Andy Gingerich, Aberdeen, S.D. 79; 3. Spencer DeNaeyer, Seneca, Neb. 76.5; 4. (tie) Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D. and Tanner Fine, Pomona, Kan. 73 each; 6.(tie) Grant Worthington, Marshall, Mo. and Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 71 each.
Steer wrestling – 2023 champion: Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La.
1. Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 3.7 seconds; 2. Sam Goings, Fallon, Nev. 3.8; 3. Jacob Talley, Keatchie, La. 4.1; 4. (tie) Logan Mullin, Clay Center, Kan. and Joe Wilson, Martin, S.D. 4.3 each; 6. Joe Nelson, Watford City, N.D. 4.5.
2nd round results
1. Tanner Brunner, Ramona, Kan. 3.8 seconds; 2. (tie) Gage Hesse, Keenesburg, Colo., Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La., and Jeremy Burkhalter, Humble, Texas 4.4 each; 5. Tyler Scheevel, Lester Prairie, Minn. 4.7; 6. (tie) Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D. and Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. 4.9 each.
Average:
1. Tyler Waguespack, Gonzales, La. 9.0 seconds on 2 head; 2. (tie) Cyler Dowling, Newell, S.D. and Travis Munro, Townsville, Australia 10.1 each; 4. Trell Etbauer, Goodwell, Okla. 10.4; 5. Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. 10.6; 6. Sam Goings, Fallon, Nev. 10.7.
Tie-down roping – 2023 champion: Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M.
1st round results
1. Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. 7.6 seconds; 2. Riley Webb, Denton, Texas 7.9; 3. Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif. 8.4; 4. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 8.5; 5. (tie) Grant Turek, St. Paul, Neb. and Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. 8.9 each; 7. Ty Moser, Volga, S.D. 9.4; 8. Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas 9.5.
2nd round results
1. (tie) Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. and Cash Fuesz, Eureka, Kan. 7.8 seconds each; 3. Cash Hooper, Carlsbad, N.M. 7.9; 4. (tie) Marcos Costa, Iretama, Brazil and Nolan Richie, Bristol, S.D. 8.2 each; 6. JT Adamson, Cody, Ne. 8.4; 7.(tie) Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif., Riley Webb, Denton, Texas, and Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb. 8.8 each.
Average
1. Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. 15.4 seconds on 2 head; 2. Riley Webb, Denton, Texas 16.7; 3. Taylor Santos, Creston, Calif. 17.2; 4. Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 17.7; 5. JT Adamson, Cody, Neb. 18.2; 6. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. 18.5; 7. Cash Hooper, Carlsbad, N.M. 18.6; 8. Michael Otero, Lowndesboro, Ala. 18.7.
Saddle bronc riding – 2023 champion: Jacob Benham, Dodge City, Kan.
1. Jacob Benham, Dodge City, Kan. 87 points on 615 Rage; 2. Lefty Holman, Visalia, Calif. 86; 3. Wade Sundell, Boxholm, Iowa 85.5; 4. Statler Wright, Beaver, Utah and Brady Hill, Onida, S.D. 85 each; 6. Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia 81.5; 7. Garrett Long, Valentine, Neb. 80.5; 8. (tie) Cable Wareham, Whiting, Kan. and Garrett Uptain, Craig, Colo. 77.5 each.
Breakaway Roping -2023 champion: Jessica McMaster, Madison, Kan.
1. Jessica McMaster, Madison, Kan. 2.7 seconds; 2. Chenoa Vandestouwe, Weatherford, Okla. 2.9 seconds; 3. Tanegai Zilverberg, Holabird, S.D. 3.0; 4. (tie) Katie Dent, Mullen, Neb., Emma Charleston, Reeds, Mo., Sami McGuire, Hoven, S.D. and Shai Schaefer, Lake Creek, Texas 3.3 each; 8. (tie) Sawyer Gilbert, Buffalo, S.D., Jade Kenney, Canyon, Texas, Kelsie Domer, Dublin, Texas and Jacey Milligan, Torrington, Wyo. 3.4 each.
Team roping – 2023 champions: Clay Holz, Pueblo, Colo. and Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D.
1. Clay Holz, Pueblo, Colo./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. 5.1 seconds; 2. JC Yeahquo, Mandaree, N.D./LJ Yeahquo, Mandaree, N.D. 5.2 seconds; 3. (tie) Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss./Corey Hendrick, Bedias, Texas and Clay Ullery, Valleyview, Alb./Jake Edwards, Ft. Ann, N.Y. 5.3 seconds each; 5. Erich Rogers, Round Rock, Ariz./Paul Eaves, Lonedell, Mo. 5.7; 6. (tie) Kreece Thompson, Munday, Texas/Landen Glenn, McAlester, Okla.; Jade Schmidt, Rapid City, S.D./Conner Herren, Crooks, S.D. and Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Buddy Hawkins II, Stephenville, Texas, 5.8 each; 9. Nick Becker, Garden City, Kan./Kingston Chang, Dodge City, Kan. 6.1; 10. Jase Staudt, Saguache, Colo./Jhett Trenary, Salida, Colo. 6.4.
Barrel racing – 2023 champion: Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D.
1. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 17.47 seconds; 2. (tie) Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, Okla., Dee Ratliff, Cross Plains, Texas and Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. 17.56; each; 5. Paige Jones, Wayne, Okla. 17.61; 6. Ivy Hurst, Springer, Okla. 17.74; 7. (tie) Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. and Ivy Saebens, Nowata, Okla. 17.75 each; 9. Erin Wetzel, Plant City, Fla. 17.77 seconds; 10. (tie) Suzanne Brooks, Seminole, Okla. and Peyton Stepanoff, Sarasota, Fla. 17.78 each; 12. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D. 17.81.
Bull riding – 2023 champion: Clayton Applehans, Colby, Kan.
1. Clayton Applehans, Colby, Kan. 84 points on Record Rack’s Overpass; 2. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D. 72; no other qualified rides.
** All results are unofficial.