Walla Walla, WA – Devon Vondette, from Rifle, Colorado, was the lucky recipient of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s 2015 Dodge Truck award. Vondette is a student at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado.
The drawing was held at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s national office the morning of April 30th. The NIRA’s Commissioner, Roger Walters, Northwest Faculty Director, Buster Barton, and the entire national office staff witnessed the drawing.
Commissioner Walters delivered the good news to Vondette’s rodeo coach, Kevin Bates, immediately following the drawing, so Ms. Vondette could verify the award. Ms. Vondette said, “When I answered the phone and Mr. Walters told me the great news, I didn’t believe him at first. There was no way that I won something like that. Once I realized it was true, I began crying and jumping up and down. I have been borrowing my mother’s truck since I was in high school. Now I will have my own truck.”
Vondette will pick up her new Ram 2500 truck during the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. The truck presentation will take place in the arena on Saturday, June 20th in the CNFR arena.
“This new truck is an amazing gif that I will be forever grateful for. It hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but I think it might when I drive it out of the arena!”
Ms. Vondette is studying kinesiology, and plans to complete her bachelors and move on to dental school.
“I would like to thank my first rodeo coach, Jed Moore for giving me my start in college rodeo. He gave me the ability to rodeo, and to get an education at the same time. I would also like to thank my family for supporting me through college rodeo. Trying to rodeo while in school has a huge financial burden attached to it and without them I couldn’t have been a member for the last three years. Finally, I would like to thank Freemont Motors and the NIRA for giving me the opportunity,” said Ms. Vondette.