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A 90-point ride tops the 95th 'Kansas Biggest Rodeo'
PHILLIPSBURG, Kan. — For the first time in his rodeo career, Roper Kiesner scored 90 points.
And he did it at Kansas Biggest Rodeo Saturday night o win the saddle bronc riding.
The Ripley, Okla., man hasn’t been having the best of luck on the rodeo trail.
“The last two weeks I haven’t been able to stay on a pony,” he joked. “I’ve been really struggling. I’ve had a string of bad draws, but I’ve had some good ones in there and I didn’t take advantage of them.”
Kiesner had done his homework on the horse named Unleashed, owned by Beutler and Son Rodeo Co.
“When I saw I had this one drawn, I won’t lie, I was excited to see people were 90 points on him, but I was also a little scared, because I have fallen off horses running down the arena,” he laughed. “I was like, man, I’m going to die.”
But when the horse was loaded in the chute, a sense of calm came over him.
“I started looking at the horizon, and said, ‘Phillipsburg, Kansas, this is where I’m going to make my 90 point ride.
“And I put a good ride on him, that felt amazing. That’s one of my favorite horses I’ve ever been on, and this is definitely my new favorite rodeo.”
In the inaugural year for the breakaway roping in Phillipsburg, a world champion won the event.
Martha Angelone, the 2022 world champ, turned in a time of 2.0 seconds to win the buckle and be Kansas Biggest Rodeo first breakaway champion.
Her run wasn’t typical, but it worked.
“Honestly, it wasn’t exactly what I expected because my calf, right when I nodded, turned his head backwards so I didn’t get the start I wanted. I didn’t know if I got out of the barrier (without breaking it), but when I looked back, I was happy to see” it wasn’t broken.
The Stephenville, Texas cowgirl is currently ranked sixth in the world standings and has had a good season.
“My summer run has been blessed. It’s been a very blessed last month. I hope to continue to do that.”
She was complimentary of the committee for adding the breakaway roping event.
“I love that all the committees are taking the chance on breakaway and adding it, because we all appreciate it tremendously, to grow our sport. It’s such an awesome experience.”
Having never been to Kansas Biggest Rodeo, she appreciated it.
“It was such an electric performance, for being in the middle of nowhere. I love it.”
South Dakota barrel racer Jessica Routier turned in the fast time of the rodeo to win her event.
Her 16.93 second run was twelve-hundredths of a second faster than the number two cowgirl, Tracy Nowlin (17.05 seconds).
Like Angelone, Routier’s competition run wasn’t what she thought it could have been.
“I feel like it wasn’t the prettiest run we’ve had. Usually (her horse) Missy’s runs are all the same, pretty and consistent. This one, I could find a lot of flaws with it. She ran wide coming home, but she was running hard.”
Her horse, Fiery Miss West, “Missy,” a thirteen-year-old palomino, has won the Badlands Circuit WPRA Barrel Horse of the Year multiple times and has carried Routier to six Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications.
Missy is owned by Gary Westergren, Lincoln, Neb.
This fall, Routier will have a reason to visit Kansas more often.
She and husband Riley’s oldest child, son Braden, will attend Garden City (Kan.) Community College, where he will rodeo collegiately in the tie-down roping, team roping and steer wrestling.
In addition to Braden, she and Riley have four daughters: Payton, a high school sophomore, twins Rayna and Rose, age nine, and Charlie, age eight.
Other champions from this year’s rodeo include bareback rider Waylon Bourgeois, Church Point, La. (89.5 points); steer wrestler Cole Walker, Springtown, Texas (3.6 seconds); team ropers Jake Clay, Sapulpa, Okla./Trey Yates, Pueblo, Colo. and Dustin Egusquiza, Mineral Wells, Texas/Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. (4.2 seconds each); and tie-down roper Riley Webb, Denton, Texas (8.6 seconds).
No bull rider throughout the entire rodeo made a qualified ride; there is no 2024 bull riding champion.
During the rodeo, a check presentation was made, recognizing the donation for Tough Enough to Wear Pink. This year, a total of $16,577.50 was raised for the Hope in the Heartland Fund.
Donations were picked up at the rodeo, with seven businesses matching funds. Those businesses include the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association; Amber Wave; A&A Coors, Hays; Rodgers & Associates Insurance, Inc.; Farmers State Bank; W.B. DesJardins Fund; and B&B Redimix.
During the August 1 performance, the 2024 Phillipsburg Rodeo Queen was crowned.
Kendall Hackerott, Canton, Kansas, won the title.
Hackerott is a college student at Cloud Community College, a member of the NCK Saddle Club, and in high school rodeo, competed in the barrel racing, pole bending, and trap shooting.
She is the daughter of Tony and Brandy Hackerott.
The 2025 rodeo will be held July 31-August 2.
For more information, visit www.kansasbiggestrodeo.com., and this can also be seen on mccookgazette.com.