MPCC Rodeo finishes strong in South Dakota

The Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team had a strong showing over the weekend in Spearfish, S.D.

The team competed at the Black Hills State University Will Lantis Yellow Jacket Stampede Friday and Saturday. The rodeo was supposed to be a week earlier but was postponed due to 15 inches of snow in parts of Western South Dakota.

Nick Rettinger, of Amidon, N.D., finished second in the short-go of the steer wrestling and second in the average for MPCC.

His teammate, Jacob Haren, of Erie, Colo., was sixth in the short-go and fourth in the average. Haren won the long-go of the steer wrestling with a time of 4.3 seconds, the fastest time of the rodeo.

Steer wrestler Kaden Wooters, of Elwood, was fourth in the short go and sixth in the average, while Dalton Kunkee, of Lexington, was eighth in the average, and Quade Potter, of Stockville, ended up ninth in the average.

Haren also roped his way to second place in the tie-down roping short-go with a 10.1 second run. Combined with his run in the long-go, that put him second in the average with a total time of 22.4 seconds.

In the team roping, Kalyn Nielsen, of Verdigre, and roping partner Josh Heckenlaible, of Mitchell Technical College, finished third in the short-go and fourth in the average.

Rettinger and his team roping partner, Owen Gustafson, of Dickinson State University, took the sixth spot in the average. They were third in the long-go with a time of 8.4 seconds.

“I’m proud of several great runs made up in Spearfish,” said Wyatt Clark, MPCC Rodeo Team timed event coach. “We look forward to competing in Nebraska this weekend and finishing the season strong.”

College rodeo’s regular season wraps up Friday and Saturday in Lincoln. MPCC will be represented at the Great Plains Region Rodeo, hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Rodeo Association. A livestream of the event will be available on the Cowboy Channel Plus app.

MPCC’s men’s team and several Mid-Plains athletes are in contention for College National Finals Rodeo qualifications.