Brodie Wilkins didn't pay too much attention to the bull riders before him Saturday night in Arlington.
As they were thrown to the dirt by McKay Rodeo Company stock, the hometown cowboy focused instead on his own Washington County Fair Rodeo goals.
“I zone-in on myself, really,” he said of his method. “Pace back-and-forth, and just think about what I've got to do.”
As a result, Wilkins missed Ethan Moses of Steamboat Springs, Colo., score a 47-point ride, but get hung-up and stepped on. He didn't dwell on West Point cowboy Quin Zach getting stomped either.
The Arlington High School student-athlete instead focused and, ultimately, scored an 8-second ride to close out the first of two weekend rodeo performances in his hometown. The 68-point effort was the first completed ride of the cowboy's, now, two-summer bull riding career.
“I love these guys,” Wilkins said of the celebratory group behind the bucking chutes after Saturday's performance.
The cowboy wasn't the only successful home-county competitor during the Surfaces by GMI-sponsored Mid-State Rodeo Association event, though. Jason and Cassidy Arp of Kennard earned Saturday's best time in the mixed team-roping, stopping the clock in 12.1 seconds.
Herman's Charley Hoier, a 2024 National Junior High Finals Rodeo qualifier, produced the lead time in the breakaway roping, too. She stopped the clock in 3.9 seconds, besting Eleva, Wisc., cowgirl Ella Lawton (4.1), Norfolk's Bailey Hurlburt (4.2) and Jayden Fleischman of Herman (5.1).
“My sister (Laney) rode my horse first and she had a rough run there, but, when I rode her, she felt pretty good,” Hoier said of roping horse, Stella. “We just went and made a run and it worked out well.”
The cowgirl had to wait until the end of the slack round and Sunday's performance to see if she finished first overall during the Washington County Fair Rodeo, but that's not all she was up to in Arlington all weekend long. She also planned to show pigs, heifers and calves at the event.
It was busy so close to home, but enjoyable for Hoier — especially the rodeo part.
“Sometimes it can be a little bit scary because it's a little bit of pressure, but, overall, I think it's pretty fun,” she said.
Another first-performance leader Saturday was Bridger Amiotte. The South Dakota cowboy topped the steer wrestling standings in 6.2 seconds, while John Allen of Auxvasse, Mo., scored 71-point ride on a saddle bronc for the lead.
Buck Sells of Coin, Iowa, finished his performance-leading tie-down roping attempt in 11.4 seconds, and the Gothenburg team of Cooper Brott and Quincy Opela topped the team roping standings in 6.2 seconds.
Taylor King, meanwhile, earned the best barrel racing time in 15.53 seconds with the slack and second performances to go.
The biggest celebration, though, belonged to Wilkins and his friends behind the chutes after an 8 second ride. A bull dropped him on his head during the 2023 fair rodeo, but, this time, he scored the first-performance lead.
“I've been just practicing and everything,” he said.
The adrenaline kick, Wilkins noted, is what he believes will keep him coming back, too.
Taylor earns 'rodeo queen' title
Anna Taylor is the new Washington County Fair rodeo queen.
The Fort Calhoun High School student earned the designation after competing alongside Maggie Meyer of Herman, Arlington's Gracen Adams and Brandi Helzer of Oakland. The candidates completed interviews with judges, showed off their horsemanship skills and turned in a written biography.
“The most enjoyable part was definitely getting to know the other girls and just bonding over this,” Taylor said. “And representing the sport of rodeo.”
She was inspired to go for the title of “rodeo queen” by her aunt, who once finished as the Miss Rodeo America runner-up.
SURFACES by GMI RODEO
Washington County Participants
1st Performance, Saturday
Barrel racing: Stacy O'Daniel, Arlington; Hailey O'Daniel, Arlington.
Breakaway roping: Jayden Fleischman, Herman; Hailey O'Daniel, Arlington; Laney Hoier, Herman; Charley Hoier, Herman.
Bull riding: Brodie Wilkins, Arlington.
Mixed team-roping: Bradie and Harry Crouse, Blair; Hailey and Matt O'Daniel, Arlington; Jayden Fleischman, Herman, and Kevin Schwedhelm, Fort Calhoun; Cassidy and Jason Arp, Kennard.
Team roping: David Anderson, Blair, and Kevin Schwedhelm, Fort Calhoun; Chris Fleischman, Herman, and Cody Beyer, Bennington; Cameron and Jeff Shaner, Fort Calhoun; JJ Schueth, Blair, and Cody Sharpe, Bennington; Dylan and Rick Schmidt, Blair; Matt O'Daniel, Arlington, and Drew Kersten, Gretna; Harry and Ryder Crouse, Blair.
Slack Round, Saturday
Barrel racing: Gracen Adams, Arlington; Annika Gaylord, Blair.
Breakaway roping: Bradie Crouse, Blair.
Team roping: Mitch Barney, Blair, and Carson Hoepker, Maryville, Mo.; Wyatt Moore, Kennard, and Mike Roberts, Elkhorn.
2nd Performance, Sunday
Bareback riding: Wilkins, Arlington.
Bull riding: Hayden Berg, Blair; Josh DelSenno, Blair.
Source: Mid-States Rodeo Association Day Sheets (accessed Friday)
