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The Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Rodeo program received a prestigious award for their 2022-2023 accomplishments. The team was named Champion Junior College team for the Central Plains Region.
During the 2022-2023 season, the men’s and women’s rodeo teams competed in ten rodeos. The men’s team finished the season with one first-place title and two second-place titles, putting them in fourth place overall.
The women’s team brought home four first-place finishes and one second-place finish, allowing them to finish second overall in the Central Plains Region. Zane Kilgus was the Central Plains Region Men’s All-Around Champion, and Bailey Stuva took home the Women’s All-Around Champion title.
Central Plains Region overall standings
Tie Down Roping
- Zane Kilgus – 3rd place
- Haze Wright – 10th place
- Blake Tatham – top 20
- Brody Tunks – top 20
- Jackson Haug – top 40
- Dodge Hogan – top 40
- Lane Watson – top 40
- Justin England – top 40.
Steer Wrestling
- Zane Kilgus – 5th place
- Hadley Sanders – 19th place
Team Roping
- Zane Kilgus and Shane Jenkins – 2nd place
- Jackson Haug and Kyle Thomas – top 20
- Haze Wright and Jacoby Dressler – top 20
- Cade Turner and Dawson Mitchell – top 40
- Brody Tunks and Hadley Sanders – top 40
- Justin England and Blake Tatham – Top 40
Breakaway Roping
- Larissa Byers – 3rd place
- Bailey Stuva – 6th place
- Emma Ricke – 9th place
- Taylor Dunk – top 20
- Miranda Arndt – top 50
- Halle Cummings – top 50
Goat Tying
- Jessie Ishmael – 5th place
- Emma Ricke – top 20
Barrel Racing
- Bailey Stuva – 1st place
- Emma Ricke – sixth place
- Jaiden Wilmoth – 9th place
The teams qualified Bailey Stuva, Jessie Ishmael, Larissa Byers, Emma Ricke, Zane Kilgus, and Shane Jenkins for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, held this past June. This was the most team members NEO Rodeo has ever sent to the CNFR.
“It was a tremendous honor to have our NEO Rodeo team receive the 2023 Champion Junior College Team award,” said NEO Rodeo coach Kolby Ungeheuer. “It was the biggest honor our team has received in my 15 years of coaching. Last year was a huge success having six students competing at the CNFR, and the team receiving this award makes it a year I’ll never forget. This was made possible by the men and women competing at a high level all year. I am proud of what they achieved and how they represented NEO Rodeo.”
For more information, please contact NEO Rodeo coach Kolby Ungeheuer at kolby.ungeheuer@neo.edu.
Picture above left to right: Jason Ishmael, assistant rodeo coach Addee Carder, Emma Ricke, Zane Kilgus, Bailey Stuva, Shane Jenkins, Larissa Byers, head coach Kolby Ungeheuer, NEO Vice President of Student Affairs Amy Ishmael, NEO President Dr. Kyle J. Stafford, NEO Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Dustin Grover, and NEO Agriculture Department Chair Dr. Mary Booth.
