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Gold buckle dreams

Lisa Lockhart accepts the 2014 Badlands Circuit Champion award at last year’s Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo from Max Weppler and the 2014 Miss Rodeo North Dakota Codi Miller. Photo by Peggy Gander
Peggy Gander |

Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo Contestants, Minot, N.D. October 8-11, 2015

Bareback riding

1. Casey Breuer, Mandan, N.D.

2. Ty Breuer, Mandan, N.D.

3. Jordan Pelton, Halliday, N.D.

4. Blake Smith, Zap, N.D.

5. Jet Price, Buffalo, S.D.

6. Jake Smith, Rapid City, S.D.

7. Dustin Luper, Provo, S.D.

8. Shane O’Connell, Rapid City, S.D.

9. Mac Erickson, Sundance, Wyo.

10. Trig Clark, Meadow, S.D.

11. Thomas Kronberg, Forbes, N.D.

12. Marty Werner, Carson, N.D.

Steer wrestling

1. Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D.

2. Jason Reiss, Manning, N.D.

3. Evan Entze, Golden Valley, N.D.

4. Colt Floyd, Buffalo, N.D.

5. Clint Doll, Reva, S.D.

6. Tom Hansen, Killdeer, N.D.

7. Gabe Taylor, Valentine, N.D.

8. Taz Olson, Prairie City, S.D.

9. Tyler Schau, Almont, N.D.

10. Tee Burress, Piedmont, S.D.

11. Tyler Thorson, Towner, N.D.

12. Sheldon Portwine, Dickinson, N.D.

Team roping – headers

1. J.B. Lord, Sturgis, S.D.

2. Layne Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D.

3. Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D.

4. Preston Billadeau, Parshall, N.D.

5. Turner Harris, Killdeer, N.D.

6. Elliott Gourneau, Kennebec, S.D.

7. Tucker McDaniel, Midland, S.D.

8. Tyrell Moody, Edgemont, S.D.

9. Tucker Dale, Timber Lake, S.D.

10. Reece Weber, Valentine, Neb.

11. Drew Gartner, Killdeer, N.D.

12. Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D.

Team roping heelers

1. Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D.

2. Tim Franzen, Sidney, Mont.

3. Jordan Olson, Surprise, Ariz.

4. Levi O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D.

5. Ross Carson, Killdeer, N.D.

6. Jake Nelson, Creighton, S.D.

7. Paul Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D.

8. Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D.

9. Rory Brown, Edgemont, S.D.

10. Slade Thorpe, Valentine, Neb.

11. Tel Schaack, Edgemont, S.D.

12. Justin Scofield, Volga, S.D.

Saddle bronc riding

1. J.J. Elshere, Hereford, S.D.

2. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, S.D.

3. Taygen Schuelke, Newell, S.D.

4. Jesse Bail, Camp Crook, S.D.

5. Shorty Garrett, Dupree, S.D.

6. Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D.

7. Ty Manke, Hermosa, S.D.

8. Dalton Rixen, Richardton, S.D.

9. Dawson Jandreau, Kennebec, S.D.

10. Cole Elshere, Faith, S.D.

11. Kaden Deal, Cheyenne River, S.D.

12. Louie Brunson, Interior, S.D.

Tie-down roping

1. Boe Brown, Valentine, Neb.

2. Trey Young, Dupree, S.D.

3. Justin Scofield, Volga, S.D.

4. Paul David Tierney, Oral, S.D.

5. Joe Schmidt, Belfield, N.D.

6. Jon Peek, Berthold, N.D.

7. Clint Kindred, Oral, S.D.

8. Cole Robinson, Moorecroft, Wyo.

9. Dustin Entzel, Killdeer, N.D.

10. Jade Lyon, Meadow, S.D.

11. Rex Treeby, Hecla, S.D.

12. Dane Kissack, Spearfish, S.D.

Barrel racing

1. Ashley Day, Volborg, Mont.

2. Kaylee Gallino, Wasta, S.D.

3. Kristi Steffes, Vale, S.D.

4. Wanda Brown, Edgemont, S.D.

5. Calyssa Thomas, Harrold, S.D.

6. Britany Diaz, Solen, N.D.

7. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D.

8. Britta O’Keeffe, Mohall, N.D.

9. Jana Griemsman, Piedmont, S.D.

10. Hallie Fulton, Miller, S.D.

11. Rachel Tiedeman, Rapid City, S.D.

12. Tisa Kraft-Peek, Berthold, N.D.

Bull riding

1. Stetson Lawrence, Williston, N.D.

2. Abe Dillman, Grassy Butte, N.D.

3. Wyatt Gregg, Belle Fourche, S.D.

4. Ryan Knutson, Toronto, S.D.

5. Kritter Lamb, Timber Lake, S.D.

6. Riley Blankenship, Killdeer, N.D.

7. Tyson Donovan, Sturgis, S.D.

8. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D.

9. Tate Thybo, Belle Fourche, S.D.

10. Taryl Smith, Litchville, N.D.

11. Allen Auer, Whitewood, S.D.

12. Drew Antone, New Underwood, S.D.

Ninety-four cowboys and cowgirls from across North Dakota and South Dakota are dreaming of gold buckles.

Pro rodeo’s regional championship takes place this weekend in Minot, and those cowboys and cowgirls have punched their tickets to the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo Oct. 8-11. Winners will be crowned in each of seven events, with the champions winning gold buckles and the chance to go on to the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Florida, April 7-10, 2016.

Headlining this year’s list are several cowboys and cowgirls prominent on the national rodeo scene, and others who are regular circuit contenders. Barrel racer Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., will compete at her ninth Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) in Las Vegas this December, as will saddle bronc rider Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D., who, after a major neck injury in 2013, is back for his second WNFR.



Justin Scofield, Volga, S.D., is a regular fixture at the Badlands Circuit Finals. This year, he will compete in the tie-down and team roping, and has won either the all-around title or the year-end title every year but one since 2009.

J.B. Lord, Sturgis, S.D., will team rope with his younger son, Levi, at the Circuit Finals. He has competed at about twenty Badlands Circuit Finals, he estimates, and spent the last two summers roping with Levi and his other son, Eli. Both are students at Eastern New Mexico State University in Portales, and they rope together in college rodeo. J.B. enters the Circuit Finals in first place as a header; Levi is in first place as a heeler.



Badlands Circuit champs returning to defend their titles include six of the nine champions. Team roping header J.B. Lord, (who also won the year-end all-around title), team roping heeler Rory Brown, Edgemont, S.D., tie-down roper Jon Peek, Berthold, N.D., barrel racer Lisa Lockhart, and bull rider Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D., all return to try for another championship buckle.

The Badlands Circuit is made up of the 25 pro rodeos across North and South Dakota. Qualifiers to the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo must compete at a minimum of ten rodeos for Dakota residents and fifteen for non-residents.

A complete list of contestants follows.

Tickets are available for the Ram Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, hosted by the Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo. The rodeo, held October 8-11 at the State Fair Center in Minot, determines the year end champion for all pro rodeos in North and South Dakota. The rodeo will pay out over $200,000 and will determine the year end and average winner in each event, who will represent the circuit at the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo next April. For more information on the rodeo and to purchase tickets, visit http://www.minotysmensrodeo.com. F

–Minot Y’s Men’s Rodeo