Aggie Rodeo starts April 7-8; early recruits sign for fall season

April 3, 2017

By Mary Crawford, NCTA News

Curtis, Neb. – College rodeo isn’t even out of the chute this spring.  Yet, five recruits are already signed up to be NCTA Aggies come fall.

The Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture opens its spring season of intercollegiate rodeo with the Great Plains Region on April 7-8 at South Dakota State University.

NCTA Aggie Coach Taylor Rossenbach said he intends to have eight NCTA student athletes make the trip to Brookings for the spring opener.

Lexus Kelsch of McLaughlin, South Dakota is leading the point standings in the Great Plains region barrel racing. She is a third-year student in animal science and agribusiness management.

Cash Talamantez of Oshkosh, Nebraska, is eighth place in tie down roping.

Rossenbach has recently received letters of intent from five high school athletes who are headed to NCTA as incoming college freshmen next fall. Four are Nebraskans and one is from Missouri.

“What an exciting time for NCTA Aggie Rodeo,” said Coach Taylor Rossenbach. “Seeing our athletes prepare for graduation while competing with a rigorous travel schedule in the next month, and signing new recruits is exhilarating.”

Three students of the Aggie Team will graduate on May 4, leaving immediately following the commencement exercise for Dickenson, North Dakota. They are Kelsch, Trevor Ginkens of Harrison and Tom Percival of Oxford, Nebraska.

Incoming recruits are excited to complete their own high school careers in the next two months, then look to national final opportunities.

The NCTA Aggies 2017-2018 recruits include:

-          Rio Whited, North Platte, Neb., team roping, animal science

-          Ty Hermalbracht, Rosalie, Neb., team roping, animal science

-          Quentin Anderson, Pierce, Neb., tie down and team roping, equine industry management and agribusiness management

-          Sydney Goracke, Sterling, Neb., barrel racing,  animal science

-          Maeson Roberts, Neosho, Mo., tie down and team roping, animal science

 Other NCTA recruits will be announced in the coming months, said Rossenbach.  Meanwhile, the Aggie Rodeo travel schedule this spring is:

April 7-8 – Brookings, S.D., South Dakota State University

April 14-15 – Lincoln, Neb., University of Nebraska-Lincoln

April 21-22 – Spearfish, S.D., Black Hills State University

April 28-29 – Hastings, Neb., Hastings College

May 5-6 – Dickenson, N.D., Dickenson State University

 For more information about NCTA rodeo or academic programs, see ncta.unl.edu or call 1-800-3CURTIS.

http://go.unl.edu/wdi6