MPCC Rodeo Team claims championships at Stampede

The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team made its home crowd proud following three days of competition at the Wild West Arena in North Platte. The team hosted two rodeos over three days, Thursday through Saturday, during the MPCC Stampede.

Two Mid-Plains cowboys rode away with championship buckles following the conclusion of the first rodeo. Jacob Haren, of Erie, Colo., won the team roping, and Koby Jacobson, of Haiku, Hawaii, took the title in the bull riding. Jacobson was the only contestant to successfully stay on for a full eight seconds.

MPCC also had success in the steer wrestling with Barrett Schlieker, of Fort Lupton, Colo., placing fourth; Nick Rettinger, of Amidon, N.D., placing fifth; Dalton Kunkee, of Lexington, coming in seventh and Jacobson finishing eighth.

Quade Potter, of Stockville, won the steer wrestling in the final rodeo. His teammate, Kaden Wooters, of Elwood, was right behind him in second.

Aluxyn Hollenbeck, of Valentine, placed third in the average in the breakaway roping, and Haren came in third in the tie-down roping. Kalyn Nielsen, of Verdigre, took fifth in the barrel racing.

“I was proud of all the hard work the team put in this weekend,” said Aukai Kaai, MPCC Rodeo Team roughstock coach. “It’s not easy to put on a doubleheader rodeo and compete at the same time, so it was awesome to see them rise to the occasion and perform well.”

Timed event coach Wyatt Clark echoed those sentiments and said he was proud of the athletes for their performance in and around the arena.

The team is up next in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Mid-Plains will compete at the Iowa Central Community College Rodeo Sept. 24-25.