North Platte, Neb. (June 15, 2022) – The rodeo season is going into its summer stretch, and North Platte is where it starts.
Unofficially the kickoff to the busy summer season and “Cowboy Christmas,” the Buffalo Bill Rodeo is the beginning of “go-time” for rodeo contestants.
And several cowboys and cowgirls are headed out with money in their Wranglers after the first day of the North Platte rodeo.
Texas cowboys Marty Yates and Lane Livingston tied for the win in the first round of the tie-down roping with times of 7.5 seconds each.
Yates, an eight-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier, said his run was much like Livingston’s. “We both got pretty good starts, had good calves, used our horses, and made our runs. That’s the way we practice, and it works.”
Yates, Stephenville, is ranked fifth in the PRCA world standings and has rodeoed fulltime for the past decade, finishing the 2020 season as PRCA reserve world champion.
“I’ve had a really good year so far,” he said, “and done well at a lot of big rodeos and I hope to keep the ball going.”
He won the Buffalo Bill Rodeo in 2016, and loves coming to North Platte. “It’s honestly one of my favorite rodeos. It’s one of the big ones, when we get started and take off for the summer. We left home yesterday, and this is the first (rodeo). We’ll be gone about three months.”
The 27-year-old cowboy was aboard his sorrel gelding Jag, purchased from world champion tie-down roper Shad Mayfield last year. “He’s been really good for my program,” he said. The sorrel gets the roper close to the calf without running the calf over. “He’s finished, super solid, and I trust him.”
Where Yates is a multiple National Finals qualifier, Livingston is looking to make his first trip to pro rodeo’s world stage.
Also 27 years old, Livingston is ranked seventeenth in the world, the highest he’s ever been. The top fifteen qualify for the National Finals at the end of the rodeo season, on September 30.
He did well at the winter rodeos, but he knows he can’t rest. “I got a good start, but I definitely need to win some to kick the summer off. I guess this one is a decent way to do it.”
The Seymour, Texas man was aboard his nine-year-old gelding named Rudy, who is an asset to his roping. “He’s really easy and fun to ride. He makes my job easier.”
Livingston is excited to be ranked in the top twenty. “It’s pretty neat. I’d like to be (ranked) up there all the time. It feels good to have a decent start and see how the summer goes.”
The fastest steer wrestling time in the first round came from the morning’s slack.
Sam Goings, Fallon, Nev., turfed his steer in 4.8 seconds to win the round.
The 24 year old cowboy competed in high school rodeo in Nevada, mostly in the tie-down roping, qualifying for the National High School Finals Rodeo in that event.
But in college at Oklahoma Panhandle State in Goodwell, he began steer wrestling more, “and I enjoyed it.”
Goings has competed at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo twice prior to this year. He is ranked in the top fifty in the nation.
The Buffalo Bill Rodeo was recognized for its 75 years of PRCA membership with a plaque presented by PRCA CEO Tom Glause.
The 2023 Miss Rodeo Nebraska was crowned during the rodeo on Wednesday night.
Rebel Sjeklocha, Hayes Center, Neb., has won the title. A graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, she has a Bachelors Degree in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Communications with minors in Law and Business and the Engler Entrepreneurship program. She is the daughter of Rusty Sjeklocha and Susan Sjeklocha.
Earlier in the day the 2023 Miss Teen Rodeo Nebraska queen was crowned, with Calie Troyer of Hershey winning the title.
Other leaders after the day’s slack and the evening’s competition include bareback rider Bobby Reynolds, Humboldt, S.D. (76 points); saddle bronc rider Dylan Hancock, Golconda, Ill. (80 points); breakaway roper Taya McAdow, Keenesburg, Colo. (2.8 seconds); team ropers Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala. and Tyler Worley, Berryville, Ark. (5.0 seconds); barrel racer Peyton Stepanoff, Keenesburg, Colo. (17.48 seconds) and bull rider Dawson Gleaves, Amarillo, Texas (80 points).
The Buffalo Bill Rodeo continues on Thursday, June 16 at 8 pm. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to show awareness of breast cancer, with proceeds donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte. Tickets range in price from $10 to $23 and are available online at www.NebraskalandDays.com and at the gate.
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Results, 1st Performance and slack, June 15, 2022
North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo
Bareback riding
1. Bobby Reynolds, Humboldt, S.D. 76 points on Black Fury; 2. Andy Gingerich, Aberdeen, S.D. 71; 3. Colt Eck, Redfield, Kan. 68; 4. Drake Amundson, Laramie, Wyo. 65.
Steer wrestling
1st round results
1. Sam Goings, Fallon, Nev. 4.8 seconds; 2. Joe Wilson, Martin, S.D. 5.0; 3. Dru Melvin, Hebron, Neb. 5.1; 4. (tie) Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. and Jarek Van Petten, Cimarron, Kan. 5.3 each; 6. Laramie Warren, Adair, Okla. 5.4.
Tie-down roping
1st round results
1. (tie) Marty Yates, Stephenville, Texas and Lane Livingston, Seymour, Texas 7.5 each; 3. Shad Mayfield, Clovis, N.M. 7.6; 4. John Pereira, Cameron, Texas 8.4; 5. Tom Joe Crouse, Gallatin, Mo. 8.4; 6. Ryan Thibodeaux, Stephenville, Texas 8.7; 7. (tie) Zaine Mikita, Byers, Colo. and Hunter Herrin, Apache, Okla. 8.9 each.
Saddle bronc riding
1. Dylan Hancock, Golconda, Ill. 80 points on State Side; 2. Trey Watts, Marshall, Mo. 77; 3. Triston Eklund, Valentine 69; 4. Connor Murnion, Jordan, Mont. 68.
1. Taya McAdow, Keenesburg, Colo. 2.8 seconds; 2. Codi Sebastian, Dickinson, N.D. 4.1; 3. Mable McAbee, Ansley, Neb. Ansley, Neb. 12.4; 4. Shalee King, Kaysville, Utah 14.0.
Team roping
1. Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala./Tyler Worley, Berryville, Ark. 5.0 seconds; 2. Kreece Thompson, Munday, Texas/Chad Williams, Stephenville, Texas 5.1; 3. (tie) Coleman Proctor, Pryor, Okla./Logan Medlin, Tatum, N.M. and Paul David Tierney, Oklahoma City, Okla./Tanner Braden, Dewey, Okla. 5.3 each;
Barrel racing
1. Peyton Stepanoff, Keenesburg, Colo. 17.48 seconds; 2. Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla. 17.57; 3. Cassidy Champlin, Pilot Point, Texas 17.78; 4. Branda Marsh, Thedford, Neb. 17.79.
Bull riding
1. Dawson Gleaves, Amarillo, Texas 80 points on Y75 All Star; no other qualified rides.
** All results are unofficial.