Casey Johnson holds her focus while trying to rope a calf during the state rodeo finals in Bowman, which was held June 18-21. Submitted photo

By Chad Schumacher

The North Dakota state rodeo finals competition, which took place in Bowman June 18-21, wrapped up this year’s rodeo season for most of the students in North Dakota. But for six Mandan high school students, the rodeo season lives on.

Six Mandan high school students qualified for the national rodeo competition on July 20-25 in Farmington, N.M. These students continued to show solid results throughout the year at the 13 rodeos that took place in North Dakota.

The top four riders in points within each event throughout the year get to move on to the national high school rodeo competition to compete for a national championship.

One of the six Mandan students going to nationals is Casey Breuer, who took first place in points for the year in bareback riding, along with winning the state competition this year in bareback.

“You work all year long to be a state champ,” said Casey Breuer, who is going to be a senior this year at Mandan High School. “My brother won it the last three years, so I wanted to keep it in the house.”

Breuer started riding in bareback competitions when he was a freshman, and he started practicing for bareback riding on a bucking machine at his home with his brother and his cousin when he was just 6 years old.

Casey’s brother, Cody Breuer, was one of the reasons Casey had to work hard this year. Cody competed against his brother in bareback riding, as Cody placed third overall throughout the year in the event. Cody also will get the chance to compete at the national competition in bareback riding – going up against his brother and many others for the national championship.

Teddi Schwagler, a young athlete from Mandan also accomplished a huge honor. She was named the 2009 North Dakota high school rodeo’s female Rookie of the Year. Schwagler racked up enough points throughout the year to qualify for the national rodeo competition in barrel racing.

Schwagler said, “it was my goal for the year to be named the Rookie of the Year.” Throughout the year she didn’t just compete in barrel racing; she competed in five events during the state competition. Those events were barrel racing, pole bending, team roping, breakaway roping and tie down roping.

“It was really hard to stay focused for five events in one day,” Schwagler said. And competing in five events takes a lot of time. “I usually practice events that I want to do well in more than others,” Schwagler said. She said that she usually practices a different event every night, and most of the time she practices two events per night.

Other students going to nationals from Mandan are Brandon Thomas, who took fourth in team roping with his partner, Tate Schwagler, also from Mandan.

Tate will also be competing in the tie down roping competition at nationals. Schwagler took fourth place overall in the tie down roping competition throughout the year.

The sixth student from Mandan to make it to nationals is Wyatt Gifford. Gifford finished second in the overall standings in saddle bronc and will be competing at the national rodeo competition this July.

Even though the national competition is huge and it could be nerve racking, Casey Breuer said, “I am pretty excited. I went last year and I was really nervous. But this year the nervousness is gone, so I can just ride.”

North Dakota State High School Rodeo Finals were held in Bowman on June 18th ˆ 21st. The top 24 in each event were up twice with the top 12 returning on Sunday for the short-go. Here are the Mandan contestants’ results:

First Go

Bareback – 1. Casey Breuer 72. Barrel Racing – 3. Teddi Schwagler 17.594. Goat Tying – 7. Dani Taylor  9.040; 10. Teddi Schwagler 9.460. Pole Bending – 9. Abby Knoll 22.233. Saddle Bronc – 1. Wyatt Gifford. Team Roping – 3. Tate Schwagler and Brandon Thomas 10.340. Tie Down Roping – 5. Tate Schwagler 18.620.

Second Go

Bareback – 1. Casey Breuer 71. Barrel Racing – 2. Brandi Davidson 17.654; 9. Alexis Olson 18.095. Break Away Roping – 1. Casey Johnson 4.440; 5. Jenna Schlosser 6.260; 8. Dani Taylor 8.780. Goat Tying – 7. Dani Taylor 9.440; 9. Teddi Schwagler 9.660. Pole Bending – 5. Jenna Schlosser 21.282;  7. Abby Knoll 21.734. Team roping – 6. Teddi Schwagler and Cameron Morman 28.400; 7. Tate Schwagler and Brandon Thomas 34.900.

Short Go

Bareback – Casey Breuer 81. Barrel Racing – 2. Teddi Schwagler 17.750; 3. Bandi Davidson 17.822; 7. Alexis Olson 18.315; 8. Brookelle Christman 18.813. Break Away Roping – 2. Teddi Schwagler 4.150; 4. Jenna Schlosser 5.120; 5. Casey Johnson 5.570. Bull Riding – 2. Cody Breuer 72. Pole Bending – 7. Alexis Olson 26.930. Tie Down Roping – 5. Tate Schwagler 14.650.

Average of the 3 rounds

Bareback – 1. Casey Breuer. Barrel Racing – 5. Alexis Olson; 6. Brookelle Christman; 7. Brandi Davidson; 10. Teddi Schwagler. Break Away Roping – 4. Casey Johnson; 6. Jenna Schlosser; 10. Teddi Schwagler. Bull Riding – 4. Cody Breuer. Goat Tying – 8. Brookelle Christman. Saddle Bronc – 3. Wyatt Gifford. Team Roping – 8. Tate Schwagler and Brandon Thomas. Tie Down Roping – 8. Tate Schwagler.