“The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc. (NIRAA) was blessed to be able to award a record $42,000 in scholarships to winners at the CNFR this year at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) 73rd College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) June 13-19 in Casper, Wyoming. In 2019, The Board of Directors voted to award $30,000 to go round and rookie winners at the 2020 CNFR. Then in 2020 an anonymous donor contributed $5,000 to give each of the 10 average winners a $500 scholarship, making the total to be awarded in 2020 $35,000. When COVID 19 canceled the 2020 CNFR, all the scholarships were rolled into 2021 and the anonymous donor added another $5,000 for the average winners. The NIRA Alumni then secured sponsors for the all-around winners making the total to be awarded in 2021 $42,500” explained Don Reichert, NIRA Alumni President.
More than 400 men and women from over 100 colleges and universities competed in ten rodeo events during the seven day competition. The CNFR can be compared to the NCAA national championships in any collegiate sport. The NIRAA awarded a $1,500 scholarship to the fourth place men’s team and a $1,000 scholarship to the fourth place women’s team. Each rookie of the year in each event and all around rookie cowboy was given $500. The Stan Harter Memorial Scholarship winner received $1000, and the alumni contributed $500 scholarships to the go round winners in each of the four rounds in all events. And rounding out the $41,500 was the $500 Jerry Beagley top rough stock rider and timed event cowboy and the NIRA Student President scholarship.
Don Reichert, NIRA Alumni President, explained, He continued, “These scholarships help young rodeo athletes pursue their education and continue to compete in intercollegiate rodeos. Many alumni say that college rodeo and scholarships kept them in school and made a huge difference in their lives. It is very satisfying to know the NIRA Alumni are able to give the scholarship recipients financial support while they are earning a marketable degree.”
A $1,500 NIRA Alumni, Inc. scholarship was presented to Western Texas College inning the Fourth Place Men’s Team competition. East Mississippi Community College was awarded the $1,000 Women’s Team Fourth Place Scholarship.
$500 NIRA Alumni, Inc. Rookie of the Year scholarships were presented to the following students in their designated college rodeo event:
Bareback Riding: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
Calf Roper: Kincaid Henry, Panola College
Breakaway Roping: Zoie Bendke, Idaho State University
Saddle Bronc Riding: Weston Patterson, Clarendon College
Steer Wrestling: Grant Patterson, Clarendon College
Goat Tying: Paige Rasmussen, Montana State University
Team Roping Header: JC Yeahquo, Western Oklahoma State College
Team Roping Healer: Carson Johnson, Casper College
Barrel Racing: Tayla Moeykens, Montana State University
Bull Riding: Tristen Hutchings, Sul Ross State University
All Around Cowboy: Cole Franks Clarendon College
All Around Cowgirl: No qualifier
The NIRA Alumni, Inc. Stan Harter Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Owen Gustafson, Dickinson State University. He is from Browning, Montana. Owen will be a Senior and plans to graduate May 15, 2022. He is majoring in Agriculture Business-Integrated Ranch Management. This selection was made possible by the scholarship donor, Del Nose, Rodeo Coach, Northwest College, Powel, Wyoming. No one qualified for the Jerry Beagley All Around Cowboy Award. This scholarship will be $1,000 in 2022. This award was to be awarded to a cowboy who placed in both a timed event and rough stock event during the CNFR. Beagley competed in rough stock and timed events when he attended college in the 70’s and wants to award the scholarship annually.
The NIRA Alumni, Inc. gave a $500 NIRA Student President Scholarship donated by Harlan Schott to Tyree Cochrane, Cal Poly State University, San Luis Obispo, California.
The $1,000 NIRA Event Champions Scholarships were given to:
Bareback Riding: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
Tiedown Roping: Macon Murphy, Panola College
Breakaway Roping: Zoie Bedke, Idaho State University
Saddle Bronc Riding: Dylan Schofield, Western Texas College
Steer Wrestling: Gavin Soileau, McNeese State University
Goat Tying: Jill Donnelly, Cochise College
Team Roping Header: Kellan Johnson, Casper College
Team Roping Heeler: Carson Johnson, Casper College
Barrel Racing: Tayla Moeykens, Montana State University
Bull Riding: Tristen Hutchings, Sul Ross State University
All Around Cowboy: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
All Around Cowgirl: Paige Rasmussen, Montana State University and Jill Donnelly, Cochise College
The first go round scholarship recipients included the following:
Bareback Riding: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
Tiedown Roping: Macon Murphy, Panola College
Breakaway Roping: Winter Williams, Southwestern Oklahoma State University
Saddle Bronc Riding: Garrett Uptain, University of Wyoming
Steer Wrestling: Tie Between Bridger Anderson, Northwestern Oklahoma State
University and Zane Patrick, Mid Plains Community College
Goat Tying: Paige Rasmussen, Montana State University
Team Roping Header: Wyatt Murray, Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Team Roping Heeler: Whitt Crozier, Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Barrel Racing: Tayla Moeykens, Montana State University
Bull Riding: Cole Skender, Three Rivers College
Winners of the second go round scholarships were:
Bareback Riding: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
Tiedown Roping: Kincade Henry, Panola College
Breakaway Roping: Brandy Schaack, University of Wyoming
Saddle Bronc Riding: Cash Wilson, Clarendon College
Steer Wrestling: Gavin B. Soileau, McNeese State University
Goat Tying: Lariat L. Larner, Oklahoma State University
Team Roping Header: Lane Cooper, Sul Ross University
Team Roping Heeler: Blake Bentley, Weatherford College
Barrel Racing: Lakken Bice, DICKSN
Bull Riding: Tie Between Holden Moss, Three Rivers College and Tristen
Hutchings, Sul Ross University
Third go round scholarships were awarded to:
Bareback Riding: Kolt Dement, Panola Junior College
Tiedown Roping: Seth Peterson, University of Wyoming, and Zane Kilgus,
Northeast Oklahoma A & M
Breakaway Roping: Taylor Lawson, Southwest Texas Junior College and Bethanie
Shofner, New Mexico State University
Saddle Bronc Riding: Parker Fleet, Hill College
Steer Wrestling: Ryan Nettle, Texas A & M University – Commerce
Goat Tying: Paige Rasmussen, Montana State University, 6.3 seconds. 2, (tie)
Lindsey Pulsipher, Montana State University, and Heather McLaughlin, University
of West Alabama
Team Roping: Marcus Theriot, East Mississippi Community College
Team Roping: Cole Curry, East Mississippi Community College
Barrel Racing: Tayla Moeykens, Montana State University
Bull Riding: Stefan Tonita, Laramie County Community College
The fourth go round scholarship awards went to:
Bareback Riding: Cole Franks, Clarendon College
Tiedown Roping: Connor Atkinson, Wharton County Community College
Breakaway Roping: Zoie Bedke, Idaho State University
Saddle Bronc Riding: Dylan Schofield, Western Texas College
Steer Wrestling: Grant Peterson, Cal Poly State University
Goat Tying: , Sheyenne Anderson, Missouri Valley College
Team Roping Header: Kellan Johnson, Casper College
Team Roping Heeler: Carson Johnson, Casper College
Barrel Racing: Tayla Moeykens, Montana State University
Bull Riding: Tristen Hutchings, Sul Ross State University
Contributors for the 2021 NIRA Alumni, Inc. Scholarships:
GOLD STAR DONOR $5000+
Anonymous Donor
SILVER STAR DONOR $1000-$4999
Jerry Beagley, Butch & Shannon Bratsky, Larry & DeEtta Burgess, Buz & Judy Cowdrey, Jay & Merrill Ellis,
Mary Fuller, Lloyd & Mary Ann Hill, Larry & Martha Jordan, Evelyn Kingsbury, Del Nose, Don & Pat Reichert, JW & Hyden Todd
BRONZE STAR DONOR $500-$999
Ken & Sharon Adams, Barstow Pro Rodeo Equipment, Ned & Chris Londo, Dr. Don Mitchell Cattle Company,
Jim Moore, Jack & Donna Roddy, Harlan & Donna Schott, Chuck Sylvester, Fred & Clara Wilson
DONOR $50 -$499
Wyatt & Reagan Bloom, Charles Chambers, Criss Cross Chaos, Cory Ferguson, Debbie Garrison, Jeffery A Gerdes, Chancy & Jordan Ann Thurston Miller, Brad & Samantha Sprau, John & Tiffany Thurston, The Insurance Corner