Kunkee takes steer wrestling title in North Dakota

Dalton Kunkee steer
Monday, October 3, 2022

Mid-Plains Community College Rodeo Team members proved they are a force to be reckoned with over the weekend. 

The team competed at the Blue Hawk Stampede Friday and Saturday in Dickinson, N.D., where the steer wrestlers continued their winning streak.

Dalton Kunkee came away with the steer wrestling championship after placing second in the long go and third in the short go, resulting in a win in the average. Rex Day won the steer wrestling short go and placed eighth in the long go, ranking him fourth in the average.

Right behind them were teammates Kaden Wooters and Jett Sjeklocha, who finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the final standings. Sjeklocha won the long round with a time of 4.5 seconds while Wooters was seventh.

Barrel racer Kalyn Nielsen was third in both the short go and the average.

Kunkee stopped the clock at 11.6 seconds in the first go-round of tie down roping and ultimately ended up 10th in the average.

Team roping partners Day and Matt Miller were 10th in both the long go and the average standings.

“I’m proud of the steer wrestlers’ showing this weekend,” said Wyatt Clark, MPCC Rodeo Team timed event coach. “They had many great runs. We have a couple weeks off from competition, but we’ll keep working hard.”

There are only two more fall rodeos left in the season. MPCC will travel to Alta, Iowa for the next one. The team will compete at the Buena Vista University Rodeo Oct. 21-22.