Stompin’ grounds
Local cowboy/cowgirls compete in 69th Buffalo Rodeo; record payouts total over $80,000
Each year, the Buffalo PRCA Championship Rodeo lineup typically attracts professional cowboys and cowgirls from all over the country.
This year’s 69th Buffalo Rodeo, which took place Thursday-Saturday, June 22-24, was no different. Austin Madison, a native of Onawa, Iowa, was the winner of the All-Around Cowboy, awarded to the highest paid cowboy who competes in multiple events.
Madison took home a total of $1,286 in prize money competing in tie-down roping and steer wrestling. Madison didn’t register a time in steer wrestling but placed second in last Thursday’s tie-down roping in 9.0 seconds.
Madison was one of over 400 rodeo contestants from over 25 states and one Canadian province to compete. Total payouts, according to Gretchen Kirchmann, of Kirchmann Media, reached an all-time rodeo high of $80,531.
“A significant increase in prize money, production and quality stock attracted the higher number of contestants,” Kirchmann said. “We doubled the added purse money in the Roughstock to $6k in bareback, saddle bronc and bull riding. Timed events were increased to $3k.”
Among this year’s contestants were three local participants. Buffalo residents Cadyn Nelson (formely Luedemann) and Payton Jacques competed in Thursday’s barrel racing event. Hanover resident and recent 2023 Buffalo High School graduate Vincent Otto competed in Thursday’s bull riding competition.
Neither of the three pursed any cash winnings, but for Otto, it was a dream come true to perform in his first Buffalo Rodeo as a professional.
“I got a lot of family and friends here, so it kind of adds a little bit of more pressure. It’s also more exciting because you know a lot more people,” Otto said. “Most rodeos, you drive six-seven hours, then you’re off to the next one, which is another six-seven hours away. Living five minutes from here is nice.”
Otto began his love for rodeos as a young child coming to the Buffalo Rodeo.
“We came quite a bit,” Otto said. “I was about five when I started mutton bustin’ here. I also did some high school rodeos. But this is my first year with my pro rodeo card.”
It wasn’t until 2012, when Otto won the mutton bustin’ competition, that he decided he wanted to join the pro rodeo circuit. His plans this summer is to travel the country in the hopes for a better outcome than his hometown rodeo.
Otto received no score riding his assigned bull Red Avalanche, who dropped Otto seconds after leaving the chute.
“He (bull) was kind of sloppy to get out of the chute,” Otto said. “When he came out, he beat me around the corner, and threw me off from there.”
Only three bull riders recorded scores out of the three performances. Mason Moody, of Letcher, South Dakota, and Tristen Hutchings, of Monteview, Idaho, split the top prize of $3,416 each with scores of 87.
Cody McElroy, of Gravel Switch, Kentucky, placed third with a score of 85 for a payout of $2,527. Bull riding paid out a grand total of $9,824 in prize money, the highest of any of the eight events.
Otto was one of 23 other bull riders to come up empty over the three performances. A disappointed Otto said afterwards that he’s been fortunate to avoid any major injuries as a bull rider, and he looks forward to the challenge that comes with each event.
“I’ve had a few bumps and bruises that go along with it, but nothing major,” he said. “I’ll be all over riding bulls. I plan to stay busy as much as possible this summer with rodeos. Then, my plan is going to college this fall at Iowa Central.”
Like Otto, Nelson and Jacques, are also former high school rodeo contestants at Buffalo. Unlike Otto, both barrel racers are in their second year in the pro rodeo circuit. This year was their second stint doing the Buffalo PRCA Championship Rodeo.
Nelson is a 2017 graduate of Buffalo High School. Including Buffalo, Nelson has competed in seven pro rodeos in 2023 and eight in 2022. She has yet to win any prize money in her two years of competition.
Jacques, a native of Elk River, has earned $107 so far in her career for her 10th place finish last Nov. 4-5 in the Brookings (SD) PRCA Rodeo and $163 for her seventh-place finish in the PRCA Championship Rodeo March 18-19 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Both Jacques and Nelson were penalized when their horses each knocked down one barrel during last Thursday’s competition. Jacques placed 74th in a time of 23.47. Nelson was 75th in 23.48.
While none of this year’s local contestants won money, Otto said it was a thrill to see other pro rodeo contestants from the area compete.
“It’s kind of like a family reunion,” he said. “Not too many rodeo people are from around here. The little bit you do have is kind of nice to have.”
Buffalo Championship PRCA Rodeo
(Thurs.-Sat., June 22-24 at Buffalo)
All-Around Cowboy: Austin Madison (Onawa, IA), $1,286, (tie-down roping, steer wrestling).
Bareback Riding – 1. Bodee Lammers (Tolar, TX), 86 points, $2,211; 2. Nick Pelke (Mondovi, WI), 85.5, $1,695; 3. Donny Proffit (Diamondville, WY), 83, $1,253; 4. Tanner Phipps (Dalton, GA), 82, $811; 5. Grant Worthington (Marshall, MO), 81, $516; 6. Kyle Bloomquist (Raymond, MN), 80, $332; 6. Briar Diittmer, (Runnels, IA), 80, $332; 8. Houston Herbert (College Grove, TN), 79, $111; 8. Drew Lind (Weyauwega, WI), 79, $111. Total payout: $7,040.
Breakaway Roping – 1. Jesse Alsup (Fair Grove, MO), 2.50 seconds, $1,634; 2. Brooke Howell (Belle Fourche, SD), 2.60, $1,421; 3. Sadie Waldron (Adel, IA), 3.00, $1,208; 4. Alli Masters, (Leon, IA), 3.40, $994; 5. Shalee King (Pemberton, MN), 3.50, $781; 6. Korah Corrigan (Shafer, MN), 3.60, $568; 7. Desta Misegades (Henning, MN), 3.80, $355; 8. Kim Spurgin (Eminence, MO), 3.90, $142. Total payouts: $7,106.
Tie-Down Roping – 1. Roy Lee (Marshall, MO), 8.5 seconds, $1,554; 2. Austin Madison (Onawa, IA), 9.0, $1,286; 3. Riley Pruitt (Gering, NE), 9.1, $1,018; 4. Justin Bridgeman (Binscarth, MB), 10.3, $750; 5. Fenton Nelsen (Marshall, MO), 10.5, $482; 6. Jody Green (Ada, OK), 10.6, $268. Total Payouts: $5,358.
Team Roping – 1. Matt Kasner (Cody, NE)/Reece Weber (Valentine, NE), 5.0 seconds, $2,173 each; 2. Ryan Von Ahn (Palmyra, MO/Ranger Hill (Palmyra, MO), 5.2, $1,889; 3. Layne Carson (Grassy butte, ND)/Jake Beard (Menoken, ND), 5.6, $1,606; 4. Dalton Turner (Sidney, AR)/Clay Clayman (Highlandville, MO), 5.7, $1,181; 4. Cooper White/Tucker White, 5.7, $1,181; 6. Clay Bauer (Arcadia, NE)/Butch Levell (Fort Calhoun, NE), 5.8, $614; Wyatt Bice (Killdeer, ND)/Drew Gartner (Killdeer, ND), 5.8, $614 each; 8. Guy Howell (Belle Fourche, SD)/Riley Curuchet (Kayccee, WY), 5.9, $189. Total payouts: $8,266.
Saddle Bronc Riding – 1. Isaac Richard (Eunice, LA), 90 points, $2,662; 2. Cole Elshere (Faith, SD), 88, $2,041; 3. Chance Masters (Leon, IA), 85, $1,509; 4. Shea Fournier (Raceland, LA), 83.5, $976; 5. Rowdy Chesser (Aline, OK), 83, $532; 5. Gus Gaillard (Morse, TX), 83, $532; 7. Talon Elshere (Hereford, SD), 82.5, $355; 8. Taygen Schuelke (Newell, SD), 82, $266. Total payouts: $8,873.
Steer Wrestling – 1. Landonias Sivertsen (Ree Heights, SD), 4.7 seconds, $1,452; 2. Ben Kilburg (La Motte, IA), 5.4, $1,201; 3. Tyler Scheevel (Lester Prairie, MN), 5.5, $951; 4. Taz Olson (Prairie City, SD), 6.0, $701; 5. Colten Madison (Whiting, IA), 6.4, $450; 6. Lynn Nieveen (Hallam, NE), 7.5, $250. Total payouts: $5,005.
Barrel Racing – 1. Nikki Singler (Ashland, WI), 17.38 seconds, $1,919; 2. Molly Pritchard (Waller, TX), 17.51, $1,645; 3. Kristi Steffes (Vale, SD), 17.58, $1,371; 4. Nicole Thomas (Buncombe, TX), 17.65, $1,188; 5. Kricket Gintner (Eau Claire, WI), 17.70, $914; 6. Stephanie Fryar (Waco, TX), 17.71, $731; 7. Nicole Bice (Killdeer, ND), 17.72, $457; 7. Molly Steffen (Hico, TX), 17.72, $457; 9. Fonda Melby (Backus, MN), 17.75, $274; 10. Allison Pauley (Honey Creek, IA), 17.77, $183. Total payouts: $9,139.
Bull Riding – 1. Tristen Hutchings (Monteview, ID), 87 points, $3,416; 1. Mason Moody (Lecher, SD), 87, $3,416; 3. Cody McElroy (Gravel Switch, KY), 85, $2,527. Total payouts: $9,824.
Grand Total payouts: $80,531; Stock Contractor: Barnes PRCA Rodeo; Sub-Contractor: JS Rodeo & Mosbrucker Rodeos; Rodeo Secretary: Andrea Moon; Timers: Paige Molburn, Andrea Moon; Announcer: Davie Kimm; Bullfighters: Miles Jones, Luke Moore; Clown/Barrelman: Zack “Cookie” Cook; Flankman: Westin Barnes, Wally Mosbrucker; Chute boss: Westin Barnes; Pickup Men: Jeff Rector, Garrett Underwood. Music Director: Nicky Kimm; Total Attendance: N/A.
