Category Archives: Alumni News

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc. awarded $30,000 in scholarships at the 71st Annual College National Finals Rodeo June 9-15 in Casper, Wyoming.

This year in addition to awarding scholarships to the fourth place men and women’s teams and rookie of the year scholarships, Stan Harter Scholarship, the alumni contributed scholarships to the go round winners in each of the four go rounds in all events, a Jerry Beagley top rough stock rider and timed event cowboy, and two hardship  award scholarships.

Newly elected NIRA Alumni, Inc. President Don Reichert says, “Supporting the NIRA Alumni Scholarship Donor Program is an excellent opportunity to help students who rodeo and are pursuing a college degree.   Many NIRA Alumni members say college rodeo influenced them to attend college and kept them there.  Helping students have a positive collegiate rodeo experience is very satisfying and may change their life. Please consider donating to the program.”

A $1,000 NIRA Alumni, Inc. scholarship was presented to  Sheridan College. who won the Fourth Place Men’s Team competition. Lassen College won the $500 Women’s Team Fourth Place Scholarship. Lassen is located in Susanville, California.

University of Wyoming cowboy, Caden Camp captured the $500 Male All Around Rookie of the Year in 2019.  There was not a qualifier for the Female All Around Rookie this year.

$500 NIRA Alumni, Inc. Rookie of the Year scholarships were presented to the following students in their designated college rodeo event:

Bareback Riding: Derrik Thompson, Utah Valley University

Calf Roper: Macon Murphy, Panola College

Breakaway Roping: Shelby Boisjoli, Ranger College

Saddle Bronc Riding: Parker Fleet, Hill College

Steer Wrestling: Tyler West, Southwest Texas Junior College

Goat Tying: Beau Patterson, Panhandle State

Team Roping-Header: Cobie Dodds, West Hills College

Team Roping-Heeler: Cody Stewart, Feather River College

Barrel Racing: Hailey Finnegan, Lassen Community College

Bull Riding:Daylon Swearingen, Panola College

The Stan Harter Memorial and NIRA Alumni, Inc. Scholarship was awarded to Mylee Mickelsen of Idaho State University. Mylee will be a sophomore at Idaho State University. She plans on majoring in Veterinary Medicine. This selection was made possible by the Daniel Harter Family, Stan’s son.

Caleb McMillan was named the Jerry Beagley All Around Cowboy Award. He attends Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming. This scholarship was designated to be awarded to a cowboy who placed in both a timed event and rough stock event during the CNFR. Beagley was a duo competitor when he attended college in the 70’s and wanted to award the $500 scholarship annually.

Additionally, the NIRA Alumni, Inc. $500 hardship scholarships were awarded to Zane Munoz of Central Arizona College and Sierra Lyons, who attends Northwest College.

The first go round scholarship recipients included the following:

Bareback Riding: Chance Ames, Sheridan College

Calf Roper: Wyatt Williams, Tarleton State University

Breakaway Roping: (tie) Quincy Segelke, Chadron State University and Taylor Munsell, Northwestern Oklahoma State University.

Saddle Bronc Riding: Cooper Thatcher, Panhandle State University

Steer Wrestling: (tie) Nathan Weyrich, Central Wyoming College and Bridger Anderson, Northwestern Oklahoma State University

Goat Tying: (tie) Taylor Latham, Gillette College and Madee Doerr, Cochise Community College

Team Roping-Header: Cyle Denison, Hill College

Team Roping-Heeler: Ross Ashford, Hill College

Barrel Racing: Makayla Seely, Casper College

Bull Riding: (tie) Colten Fritzlan, Western Texas College and Daylon Swearingen, Panola College

Winners of the second go round scholarships were:

Bareback Riding: Tyler Johnson, Panola Junior College

Calf Roper: Haven Meged, Tarleton State University

Breakaway Roping: Whitney DeSalvo, University of Arkansas-Monticello

Saddle Bronc Riding: Riggin Smith, Clarendon College

Steer Wrestling: Caden Camp, University of Wyoming

Goat Tying: Jacie Sullivan, Southern Arkansas University

Team Roping-Header: Quentin Anseth, College of Southern Idaho

Team Roping-Heeler: Kycen Winn, Snow College

Barrel Racing: Kynzie McNeill, Oklahoma State University

Bull Riding: Caleb McMillan, Northwest College

Third go round scholarships were awarded to:

Bareback Riding: Chance Ames, Sheridan College

Calf Roper: Macon Murphy, Panola Junior College

Breakaway Roping: (tie) Samantha Kerns, Montana State University, Kody Criswell, South Plains College, and Mia Manzanares, McNeese State University

Saddle Bronc Riding: Riggin Smith, Clarendon College

Steer Wrestling: Laramie Warren, Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Goat Tying: Erryn Hodson, Weber State University

Team Roping-Header: (tie) Lexis Andrade, Walla Walla Community College and Wyatt Muggli, Texas A & M-Commerce

Team Roping-Heeler: (tie) Calgary Smith, Walla Walla Community College an McCoy Profili, Hill College

Barrel Racing: Kynzie McNeill, Oklahoma State University

Bull Riding: Coby Johnson, Sheridan College

The fourth go round scholarship awards went to:

Bareback Riding: Cole Reiner, Misy Valley

Calf Roper: Cody Burnside, Central Arizona College

Breakaway Roping: Shelby Boisjoli, Ranger College

Saddle Bronc Riding: Lane Schuelke, Casper College

Steer Wrestling: Walt Arnold, Cisco College

Goat Tying: Mia Manzanares McNeese State University

Team Roping-Header: Wyatt Hershberger, Cochise College

Team Roping-Heeler: Junior Zambrano, Central Arizona College

Barrel Racing: Jayde Wamel, New Mexico State University

Bull Riding: Dalton Kasel, Howard College

NIRA ALUMNI, Inc. SCHOLARSHIP FUND INFORMATION 

Alumni and friends of college rodeo: Please participate in the NIRA Alumni Scholarships for Rookies of the Year, Fourth Place Team Scholarships and each event go round winner in all four go-rounds. Last year the NIRA Alumni awarded $30,000 in scholarships. Giving is simple: just write a check out to NIRAA, Inc.-- any amount--designate your desired rodeo event, and send it to: NIRAA, Inc. 3211 Elys Path San Antonio, Texas 78230.  Or to contribute with a credit card To Contribute to scholarship fund, please follow this link https://www.fundraise.com/niraascholarshipfund

The NIRAA is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit. Please join us in keeping the College Rodeo tradition alive. Remember, no amount is too small and, of course, too large!

Contributors for the 2019  NIRA Alumni, Inc. Scholarships included the following: Ken & Sharon Adams, Barstow Pro Rodeo Equipment, Jerry Beagley, Butch & Shannon Bratsky,  Larry Burgess, Jack & Kenneth Burkholder Family, Charles Chambers, Dick Claycomb, Buz & Judy Cowdrey, Jay & Merrill Ellis, Vicki Emerson. John & Margaret Fincher, Mary Fuller, Daniel Harter Family, Barbara Hintz, G Bar G Saddles-Dennis George, Larry & Martha Jordan, RE & Martha Josey, Evelyn Kingbury, Glen & Shelly Lammers, Ned & Chris Londo, Neal & Stacey Martin from Next Level Goat Tying, Jim Moore, Del Nose, Larry O’Neil, Don & Pat Reichert, Saddle Barn, Harlan & Donna Schott, Jud Shows, Charles (Chuck) Sylvester, Jr., John & Tiffany Thurston, Chancy & Jordan Ann Miller, & CrissCross Chaos, Fred & Clara Wilson.