North Platte, Neb. (June 19, 2025) – Rocker Steiner is looking to earn himself a second Buffalo Bill Rodeo buckle.
The Weatherford, Texas bareback rider, the 2024 Buffalo Bill Rodeo bareback riding champ, took the lead in his event during the second night of the rodeo on June 19.
On his way to North Platte, however, he questioned his decision to compete in North Platte on the Beutler and Son Rodeo horse named Dodge Avenger.
When he vetted the horse, what he heard wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
“What I heard from my bronc riding buddies is the horse is real treacherous, out of line, and hard to ride, and I didn’t know that until I was about three hours into my drive today. I was expecting the worst.”
But things worked out.
The horse’s first jump was “super hard,” Steiner said, “and jerked my riggin away from me. Somehow I picked it back up and I finished it off and I’m leading it now.
“So not a bad day.”
Steiner is currently ranked second in the PRCA world standings, and is on a roll, after battling through wear and tear and concussions suffered at last year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
“I get real hot in the summer,” he said. “June, July and August are my best months, which is perfect. Last year, I think I won $40,000 in June alone. These first rodeos for the summer run, Woodward (Okla.), North Platte, and Pleasant Grove (Utah), I have a history of winning them.”
Steiner won the Woodward rodeo this year and last year; he is the 2024 Pleasant Grove champion.
He’ll hit the trail hard over the next few months, as the rodeo season heats up and there’s plenty of money to be made. His rodeo schedule includes Pleasant Grove; Nampa, Idaho; Santa Ynez, Calif.; Springdale, Ark.; Pecos, Texas; Greeley, Colo.; and Ponoka, Alberta, all by July 4.
He likes coming to North Platte.
“It’s a real cool little rodeo. It’s very country, my kind of people. Any rodeo Bennie Beutler has, I’m going. They’re great friends of ours. I love this rodeo.”
Other high scores and fast times from the morning slack and the evening competition include steer wrestler Hoyt Kraeger, Weeping Water, Neb. (3.8 seconds); tie-down roper Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas (8.6 seconds); saddle bronc rider John Thelen, Pierre, S.D. (81.5 points) breakaway roper Jessica McMaster, Madison, Kan. (3.3 seconds); team ropers Jay Tittel, Pueblo, Colo. and Cullen Teller, Ault, Colo. (6.5 seconds); and barrel racer Alyssa Allen, Oelrichs, S.D. (17.79 seconds.) No bull rider made a qualified ride.
The third night of action at the Buffalo Bill rodeo takes place Friday, June 20 starting at 7:30 pm. The rodeo is broadcast on the Cowboy Channel app and on local radio station KODY 1240 AM.
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Results, 2nd Performance and slack, June 19, 2025
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1. Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, Texas 86 points on Dodge Avenger; 2. Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La. 84; 3. Cole Franks, Clarendon, Texas 83.5; 4. Owen Brouillette, St. Francisville, La. 80.
Steer wrestling
Start of the 2nd round
1. Hoyt Kraeger, Weeping Water, Neb. 3.8 seconds; 2. Trisyn Kalawaia, Alva, Okla. 4.1;
3. (tie) Riley Westhaver, High River, Alb., Austin Eller, Glendo, Wyo. and Marc Joiner, Wayne, Okla. 4.6 each.
Tie-down roping
Start of the 2nd round
1. Monty Lewis, Hereford, Texas 8.6 seconds; 2. Zane Rampey, Pryor, Okla. 9.2; 3. Hunter Herrin, Elgin, Okla. 9.6; 4. New Bruley, Willow Lake, S.D. 10.6.
Saddle bronc riding
1. John Thelen, Pierre, S.D. 81.5 points on Revenge; 2. Kyle Wanchuk, Sherwood Park, Alb. 81; 3. (tie) Tyrel Roberts, Charlie Lake, B.C. and Mitchell Story, Bayfield, Colo. 79 each.
Breakaway roping
1. Jessica McMaster, Madison, Kan. 3.3 seconds; 2. Taylor Raupe, Douglas, Kan. 3.6; no other qualified runs.
Team roping
1. Jay Tittel, Pueblo, Colo./Cullen Teller, Ault, Colo. 6.5 seconds; 2. Cooper Brott, Gothenburg, Neb./Dustin Harris, O’Neill, Neb. 10.2; 3. Brayden Fillmore, Pueblo, Colo./Cody Lansing, Cortez, Colo. 16.2; 4. Gary Haynes, Orchard, Colo./Bryton Scheller, Ault, Colo. 19.7.
Barrel racing
1. Alyssa Allen, Oelrichs, S.D. 17.79 seconds; 2. Jodi Nelson, Hartford, S.D. 17.80; 3. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. 17.81; 4. Karson Bradley Berger, Saratoga, Wyo. 17.88.
Bull riding
No qualified rides.
** All results are unofficial.