(CNFR release)
CASPER, Wyo. – A horse named April has been really good in June for breakaway roper Kirbie Crouse from Missouri Valley College.
Crouse has qualified for her fourth consecutive College National Finals Rodeo and is on track to win her second National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) championship. Her first one came as a sophomore in 2016. She also qualified in 2015 finishing seventh and was sixth last year.
Each year the Gallatin, Missouri, cowgirl has qualified for the CNFR in the breakaway roping, she has made four runs and been part of the championship finals making her one of the most consistent ropers in the 70-year history of the event. She has also qualified four times in the goat tying and has been working towards a women’s all-around title.
So far this year, she has stopped the clock in 3.0, 2.2 and 2.6 seconds. She made her third run here on Thursday night and has a total time of 7.8 seconds on three. She has a distinct advantage over Brandie Hollenbeck from Northwestern Oklahoma State University who is 8.9 on three runs.
Members of the NIRA have four years of eligibility and opportunity to make the trip to Casper, Wyoming to compete in rodeo’s Rose Bowl. They can add a year if they are a student director or if they continue their education at a graduate level. Crouse plans to get her master’s degree in administration so she could very well be back here again next year. When she is through with her education she plans to help others get theirs by becoming a middle school teacher.
All the contestants are now in their third round of competition at the CNFR. The first two rounds were completed during Sunday’s Bulls, Broncs and Breakaway and slack on Monday and Tuesday.
There are three more nights of rodeo action to determine who will qualify for Saturday night’s championship finals. Scores and times from all three preliminary rounds are added together. The best 12 in each event will then be riding and roping for national championships on Saturday.
The second performance of the CNFR will begin in the Casper Events Center on Wednesday night beginning at 7 p.m.
Bareback Riding: (third round) 1, Tyler Berghuis, Tarleton State University, 80 points. 2, Jesse Pope, Missouri Valley College, 78. 3, Garrett Shadbolt, Doane University, 77.5. 4, BoDell Jessen, Odessa College, 73.5. (total on three) 1, Berghuis, 239. 2, Shadbolt, 233. 3, Pope, 231.5. 4, Jessen, 207.5.
Tie Down Roping: (third round) 1, Nolan Sybrant, Hastings College, 9.3 seconds. 2, Haven Meged, Western Oklahoma State College, 9.8. 3, Kyle Parrish, Tarleton State University, 9.9. 4, Cole Frey, McNeese State University, 10.2. (total on two) 1, Meged, 33.4. 2, Jordan Tye, Central Washington University, 34.1. 3, Sybrant, 36.8. 4, Parrish, 37.3.
Breakaway Roping: (third round) 1, Brandi Hollenbeck, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 2.5 seconds. 2, Kirbie Crouse, Missouri Valley College, 2.6. 3, Sierra Keith, Central Arizona State College, 2.7. 4, Kate Grover, Missouri Valley College, 2.8. (total on three) 1, Crouse, 7.8. 2, Hollenbeck, 8.9. 3, Whitley Whitewood, Texas A&M University, 9.8. 4, (tie) Courtney Provost, Utah Valley College, and Nichole Lake, Cochise College, 19.1.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (third round) 1, Keenan Reinhardt, Montana State University, 74 points. 2, Cody Crim, Missouri Valley College, 73.5. 3, Logan Cook, Panola College, 72. 4, Dawson Dahm, Panhandle State University, 67. (total on three) 1, Dahm, 219. 2, Reinhardt, 201.5. (on two) 3, Carter Elshere, Gillette College, 154.0. 4, (tie) Parker Kempfer, Sam Houston State University and Jake Finlay, Panhandle State University, 148.5.
Steer Wrestling: (third round) 1, Tristan Martin, East Mississippi Community College, 4.2 seconds. 2, Matthew Mundell, Walla Walla Community College, 4.9. 3, Logan Hyatt, Western Texas College, 7.5. 4, Hazen Smith, College of Southern Idaho, 7.8. (total on three) 1, Martin, 12.7. 2, Gabe Soileau, McNeese State University, 17.1. 3, Taite Stickler, Cuesta College, 19.1. 4, Sawyer Strand, Mid Plains Community College, 21.8.
Goat Tying: (third round) 1, Maddee Doerr, Cochise College, 6.1 seconds. 2, Courtney Wood, Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo, 6.4. 3, Jenna Dallyn, South Plains College, 6.5. 4, Alexa Smith, Cochise College, 6.6. (total on three) 1, Doerr, 19.3. 2, (tie) Wood and Dallyn, 20.0. 4, Sonora Schueneman, Texas A&M University, 21.9.
Team Roping: (third round) 1, Clay Elkington and Cole Sherwood, Central Arizona State University, 5.9 seconds. 2, Lane Cooper and Kirby Blankenship, Weatherford College, 6.2. 3, Kellan Johnson, Gillette College and Trey Yates, Casper College, 6.3. 4, Cooper Lee, Southern Arkansas University and Whitney DeSalvo, University of Arkansas – Monticello, 7.0. (total on three) 1, Elkington and Sherwood, 19.3. 2, Johnson and Yates, 24.8. 3, Will Centoni, Cuesta College and Wyatt Adams, Clovis Community College – California, 41.3. (on two) 4, Cooper and Blankenship, 12.1.
Barrel Racing: (third round) 1, Kynzie McNeill, Texas Tech University – Lubbock, 14.22 seconds. 2, Riley Addington, Gillette College, 14.39. 3, Maddy Dickens, Odessa College, 14.44. 4, Jimmie Smith, Texas A&M University, 14.52. (total on three) 1, McNeill, 43.29. 2, Dickens, 43.49. 3, Addington, 44.32. 4, Smith, 44.41.
Bull Riding: (third round – one ride) 1, Garrett Wickett, Mid Plains Community College, 52 points. (total on two) 1, Will Centoni, Cuesta College, 155. 2, Wickett, 126. (on one) 3, Colby Demo, Feather River College, 82. 4, Ryan McDaniel, University of Tennesse – Martin, 80.5.
Men’s All-Around: 1, Will Centoni, Cuesta College. 2, Brushton Minton, West Hills College. 3, Jordan Tye, Central Washington University. 4, Maverick Harper, Northwestern Oklahoma State Univeristy.
Women’s All-Around: 1, Rickie Engesser, Gillette College. 2, Carlee Johnston, Black Hills State University. 3, Jimmie Smith, Texas A&M University. 4, Taylour Latham, Gillette College.
Men’s Team: 1, Tarleton State University. 2, Panhandle State University. 3, Northwestern Oklahoma State University. 4, McNeese State University.
Women’s Team: 1, Texas Tech University – Lubbock. 2, Gillette College. 3, Texas A&M University. 4, Missouri Valley College.
