Two individual wins and multiple top five finishes kept Mid-Plains Community College at the top of the leaderboard Friday and Saturday in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
The MPCC men’s team ended up second, and the women’s team took third at the Iowa Central Community College Triton Stampede.
Individually, J.D. Draper, of Oakley, Kan., won the steer wrestling, and Mykelsi Schnose, of Oelrichs, S.D., took home the team roping championship alongside Quentin Anderson who attends the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.
“I was real proud of both J.D. and Mykelsi,” said Garrett Nokes, MPCC Rodeo Team timed event coach. “Mykelsi has struggled a bit this fall because of some personal issues and trying to get used to a new horse, but she’s kept a positive attitude and has been working hard. She stuck to the game plan in Iowa and did everything we’ve been talking about and practicing.”
For Draper, Iowa was a continuation of the phenomenal success he’s been having all fall.
“It was just him doing what he does,” Nokes said. “He’s an amazing athlete, and he’s been putting in the time in the practice pen – getting more consistent and using his horses better to be more competitive. He drew a fast running steer in the first round, ended up ninth, then came back and had a flawless run in the short go. He doesn’t worry about coming in first, he just goes out there and does the best he can on every run. I think everyone else will have a hard time beating him for the year-end title.”
The following team members were also instrumental in the team’s overall success.
Tie-down roping: second – JT Bradley, Brewster; third – Draper; fifth – Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Saddle bronc riding: third – Lane Kennedy, Orleans
Team roping: fourth – Danielle Wray, Ord; fifth – Wyatt Killion, Ainsworth
Steer wrestling: fourth – Strand; sixth – Koby Jacobson, Haiku, Hawaii
“Before the rodeos start, we have to pick the kids we think are going to do the best for our points scoring team,” said Nokes. “This was the first time that everyone who was able to score points for us made it to the short round. That’s quite an accomplishment and is commendable. It’s a true testament to their mental toughness and how hard they’ve been practicing.”
The next competition for the MPCC Rodeo Team will be a new one – the Sisseton Wahpeton Community College Rodeo Oct. 10-11 in Sisseton, S.D.
(Story by Heather Johnson – MPCC)
