Schneeberger scores big win at Roundup

DODGE CITY, Kan. – In his 17-year career, Jerome Schneeberger has earned more than $1.5 million on the rodeo trail.

He’s an 11-time qualifier to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and the 2001 NFR tie-down roping average champion. He’s won most of the biggest rodeos in the sport and has been crowned the Prairie Circuit champion numerous times.

Now just days shy of his 37^th birthday, the Ponca City cowboy has a much different focus in life than burning the miles and chasing gold buckle dreams down the rodeo trail.

“I’m not interested in going that hard, trying to make the finals,” Schneeberger said. “I’m not rodeoing near as much at all. I’ve been there, done that. I was actually entered everywhere and was going to try to make the finals again, but then I thought about it. I just thought I’d stay home and enjoy it.”

He has another job now, and focuses on competing in the Prairie Circuit, made up of contestants and rodeos in Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. On Sunday night, he made a big move to winning another regional title by staking claim to another Dodge City Roundup Rodeo title, pocketing $6,727 in the process and moving toward the top spot in the circuit standings.

For a part-time cowboy, that’s pretty good.

“There’s just so much expense that goes into it when you try to make the finals,” he said, noting that of the money he’s earned in his storied career, most of it went back toward the cost of traveling, paying entry fees and other things that come with it – in rodeo, the only way a contestant is paid is if he or she is better than the rest of the field. “I decided I’d just stay at home and take that guaranteed paycheck.”

Schneeberger won the opening go-round, then finished in a tie for second place in the championship round on Sunday. His cumulative time of 26.9 seconds on three runs earned him his second Roundup title in four years.

“I like this arena,” he said. “It’s always been good to me.”

Bull riders Trevor Kastner and Clayton Foltyn will be saying that after their few days in the southwest Kansas community. Foltyn posted the highest marked ride of the rodeo with a 94-point ride Sunday on the bull Rustler’s Paradise from 4L & Diamond S Rodeo. That moved him up in the average with a two-ride cumulative score of 180 points, sharing the Roundup title with Kastner, who won the first round with a 90-point ride Saturday; he then posted an 89 on Frontier Rodeo’s Centerfield on Sunday.

“This is pretty big for me because this is a pretty well-known rodeo, plus it helps for the circuit, too,” said Kastner, a two-time NFR qualifier from Ardmore, Okla. “This is also a tour rodeo with a bonus at the end of the season, so that helps, too.”

This season marked the second time in Foltyn’s career that he’s earned a trip to the final round in Dodge City – the first time, he came away with a season-ending injury, but this one worked out much better; he earned $4,837, while Kastner pocketed $5,551.

“This is a great rodeo to win,” said Foltyn, a two-time NFR qualifier from El Campo, Texas. “I’ve been coming here for a long time, and this is the best I’ve done.”

Of the 11 bull riders in the short round, six had qualified rides, including two in the 90s – Foltyn’s 94 and a 92 from runner-up Chris Roundy of Spanish Fork, Utah. They weren’t the only explosive scores on the final night of the 2013 rodeo. Cody Wright won the final round and the average championship after scoring a 91-point ride on Frontier Rodeo’s Top Gun, while brother Jesse scored 90 on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Happy Valley to finish second Sunday – Jesse, the reigning world champ, jumped from ninth to third because of the score.

“Anytime you can start winning, especially at a big rodeo and a tour rodeo so that you can stay in the race, it’s great because there are so many great bronc riders out there,” Cody Wright said. “They all ride great. Anytime you can be right there with them, it’s great.”

But that’s what happens when ProRodeo’s elite perform at venues like Roundup Arena.

Dodge City Roundup Rodeo
Dodge City, Kan.
July 31-Aug. 4
All-around champion: Caleb Smidt, $8,417 in team roping and tie-down roping.

Bareback riding: First round: 1. Steven Peebles, 87 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Dust Devil, $2,645; 2. Luke Creasy, 83, $2,028; 2. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Evan Jayne, 82, $1,234 each; 3. (tie) Tim O’Connell and Justin McDaniel, 81, $529 each; 7. Seth Hardwick and Austin Foss, 80, $309; 9. (tie) Tom McFarland and Tilden Hooper, 79. Final round: 1. (tie) Austin Foss, on Frontier Rodeo’s Full Baggage, and R.C. Landingham, on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Kates Hot Sister, 86 points, $1,450 each; 3. Tim O’Connell, 86, $900; 4. (tie) Tom McFarland and Justin McDaniel, 85, $475 each; 6. (tie) Seth Hardwick and Steven Peebles, 82, $125 each. Average: 1. (tie) R.C. Landingham and Steven Peebles, 169 points on two rides, $2,337; 3. (tie) Austin Foss and Tim O’Connell, 167, $1,234; 5. Justin McDaniel, 166, $617; 6. Tom McFarland, 164, $441; 7. Seth Hardwick, 162, $353; 8. Evan Jayne, 157, $265.

Steer wrestling: First round: 1. 3. Dean Gorsuch, 3.9 seconds, $2,747; 2. Beau Clark, 4.0, $2,489; 3. Casey Martin, 4.2, $2,031; 4. (tie) Matt Reeves and Sean Thomas, 4.3, $1,493 each; 6. Chad Van Campen, 4.4, $956; 7. (tie) Ty Willick and K.C. Jones, 4.5, $418. Second round: 1. Bray Armes, 3.2 seconds, $2,747; 2. Casey Martin, 4.0, $2,389; 3. (tie) Ben Shofner, John Kloeckler and Jason Thomas, 4.1, $1,672 each; 6. Dru Melvin, 4.2, $956; 7. Kody Woodward, 4.3, $597; 8. Monty Eakin, 4.4, $239. Final round: 1. Seth Brockman, 4.1 seconds, $1,494; 2. Cody Pratt, 4.5, $1,236; 3. Jule Hazen, 5.2, $979; 4. Dean Gorsuch, 6.4, $721; 5. Riley Duvall, 7.7, $464; 6. Bray Armes, 16.1, $257. Average: 1. Seth Brockman, 13.5 seconds on three runs, $4,121; 2. Cody Pratt, 15.6, $3,583; 3. Dean Gorsuch, 16.0, $3,046; 4. Jule Hazen, 16.7, $2,508; 5. Riley Duvall, 17.4, $1,971; 6. Bray Armes, 23.9, $1,433; 7. Casey Martin, 8.2 on two runs, $896; 8. Glen Clark, 9.8, $358.

Team roping: First round: 1. Turtle Powell/Dugan Kelly, 4.3 seconds, $2,470 each; 2. (tie) Charly Crawford/Ryan Motes and Riley Minor/Brady Minor, $4.8, $1,987 each; 4. (tie) Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner and Brady Tryan/Cody Doescher, 4.9, $1,343 each; 6. (tie) Spencer Mitchell/Dakota Kirchenschlager, Erich Rogers/Cory Petska and Keven Daniel/Chase Tryan, 5.0, $537 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Justin Davis/Clay O’Brien Cooper and Trey Harmon/Jace Crabb, 4.5 seconds, $2,309 each; 3. Matt Sherwood/Tommy Zuniga, 4.6, $1,826; 4. (tie) Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves and Garrett Tonozzi/York Gill, 4.8, $1,343 each; 6. (tie) Paul David Tierney/Jared Bilby and Landon McClaugherty, 4.9, $698 each; 8. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.1, $215. Final round: 1. Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger, 4.8 seconds, $986; 2. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 5.2, $816; 3. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 5.4, $646; 4. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 5.6, $306; 5. Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 6.1, $306; 6. Chase Wiley/Ace Pearce, 6.4, $170. Average: 1. Kaleb Driggers/Travis Graves, 15.3 seconds on three runs, $3,706; 2. Erich Rogers/Cory Petska, 15.7, $3,222; 3. Trey Harmon/Jace Craabb, 16.6, $2,739; 4. Caleb Smidt/B.J. Dugger, 16.8, $2,256; 5. Clay Tryan/Jade Corkill, 17.3, $1,772; 6. Coleman Proctor/Matt Kasner, 17.5, $1,289; 7. Jake Orman/Corey Hendrick, 18.2, $906; 8. Chase Wiley/Ace Pearce, 197, $322.

Saddle bronc riding: First round: 1. Cole Elshere, 85 points on Harry Vold Rodeo’s Spring Creek, $2,221; 2. (tie) Cody Wright and Chad Ferley, 84, $1,481 each; 4. (tie) Tyler Corrington and Bradley Harter, 83, $666; 6. Jacobs Crawley, 81, $370; 7. Jesse Bail, 80, $296; 8. (tie) Cort Scheer, Ty Atchison and Jesse Wright, 79, $74 each; 11. (tie) Jake Wright and Brady Nicholes, 78.Final round: 1. Cody Wright, 91 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Tom Gun, $1,650; 2. Jesse Wright, 90, $1,250; 3. (tie) Brady Nicholes and Chad Ferley, 86, $750 each; 4. Jacobs Crawley, 82, $350; 5. Ty Atchison, 81, $250. Average: 1. Cody Wright, 175 points on two rides, $2,221; 2. Chad Ferley, 170, $1,703; 3. Jesse Wright, 169, $1,260; 4. Brady Nicholes, 164, $815; 5. Jacobs Crawley, 163, $518; 6. Ty Atchison, 160, $370; 7. Bradley Harter, 158, $296; 8. Cole Elshere, 85 points on one ride, $222.

Tie-down roping: First round: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 8.5 seconds,$2,370; 2. E.J. Roberts, 9.0, $2,081; 3. Cody Ohl, 9.1, $1,751; 4. (tie) Bryson Sechrist and Landon McClaugherty, 9.3, $1,288 each; 6. (tie) Ben Madsen, Josh Peek and Scott Kormos, 9.4, $515 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Caleb Smidt and Hunter Herrin, 7.8 seconds, $2,215 each; 3. (tie) Fred Whitfield and Ryan Watkins, 8.1, $1,597 each; 5. Justin Macha, 8.3, $1,133; 6. (tie) Paul David Tierney and Clint Carpenter, 8.4, $670 each; 8. (tie) Clint Cooper and Jimmy Jumper, 8.5, $103. Final round: 1. Tuf Cooper, 9.1 seconds, $1,073; 2. (tie) Cody Ohl, Clif Cooper and Jerome Schneeberger, 9.2, $803 each; 5. Caleb Smidt, 9.3, $333; 6. Landon McClaugherty, 9.7, $185. Average: 1. Jerome Schneeberger, 26.9 seconds on three runs, $3,554; 2. Clif Cooper, 28.2, $3,091; 3. Caleb Smidt, 28.4, $2,627; 4. Cody Ohl, 28.6, $2,163; 5. (tie) Tuf Cooper and Justin Macha, 39.7, $1,488 each; 7. Landon McClaugherty, 29.9, $773; 8. Josh Peek, 30.4, $309.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Sabrina Ketcham, 16.87 seconds, $2,211; 2. Taylor Jacob, 17.10, $1,895; 3. Christine Laughlin, 17.12, $1,579; 4. Laura Lambert, 17.22, $1,053; 5. Shali Lord, 17.23, $1,053; 5. Carley Richardson, 17.26, $842; 7. Annesa Self, 17.29, $632; 8. June Holeman, 17.30, $421; 9. Layna Kight, 17.32, $316; 10. (tie) Jessica Frost and Jaime Barrow, 17.33, $105.Second round: 1. Lizzy Ehr, 17.06 seconds, $2,211; 2. (tie) Kendra Dickson and Sabrina Ketcham, 17.08, $1,737 each; 4. Carley Richardson, 17.10, $1,368; 5. Annesa Self, 17.11, $1,053; 6. Laura Lambert, 17.13, $842; 7. (tie) Kaley Bass and Whitney Baker, 17.14, $526 each; 9. Christine Laughlin, 17.15, $316; 10. Laura Kennedy, 17.16, $211. Final round: 1. Annesa Self, 17.28 seconds, $1,638; 2. Christine Laughlin, 17.31, $1,228; 3. Jessica Frost, 17.42, $819; 4. Carol Chesher, 17.45, $409. Average: 1. Sabrina Ketcham, 51.42 seconds on three runs, $3,316; 2. Christine Laughlin, 51.58, $2,842; 3. Annesa Self, 51.68, $2,369; 4. Laura Lambert, 51.89, $2,053; 5. Shali Lord, 51.92, $1,579; 6. Jessica Frost, 51.93, $1,263; 7. Carol Chesher, 52.04, $947; 8. Jean Winters, 52.07, $632; 9. Carley Richardson, 52.15; $474; 10. Lizzy Ehr, 52.18, $316.

Bull riding: First round: 1. Trevor Kastner, 91 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Hide Out, $2,549; 2. Nate Perry, 89, $1,954; 3. Sage Kimzey, 87, $1,445; 4. Clayton Foltyn, 86, $935; 5. Bart Miller, 85, $595; 6. Brad Harris, 84, $425; 7. Joe Frost, 82, $340; 8. Chris Roundy, 80, $255; 9. Lane Wilhelm, 79; 10. Shane Proctor, 78; 11. John Young, 73. Final round: 1. Clayton Foltyn, 94 points on 4L & Diamond S’s Rustler’s Paradise, $1,650; 2. Chris Roundy, 92, $1,250; 3. (tie) Shane Proctor and Travor Kastner, 89, $750 each; 5. Sage Kimzey, 88, $350; 6. Joe Frost, 76, $250. Average: 1. (tie) Clayton Foltyn and Trevor Kastner, 180 points on two rides, $2,252; 3. Sage Kimzey, 175, $1,445; 4. Chris Roundy, 172, $935; 5. Shane Proctor, 167, $595; 6. Joe Frost, 158, $425; 7. Nate Perry, 89 points on one ride, $340; 8. Bart Miller, 85, $255.