Chadron State's Shelby Winchell is national goat tying champion

Winchell, who already had the lead heading into the championship go-round at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper on Saturday night, also had the go-round’s best time of 6.3 seconds. That gave her an aggregate time of 25 seconds flat on four runs.

Just as has been her trademark throughout her career, the Scottsbluff, Nebraska, native was a picture of consistency at the national rodeo. She also completed her first two runs in 6.3 seconds and matched the fastest time of the rodeo, 6.1 seconds, in the third go-round.

Winchell’s primary challenger, K.L. Spratt of Sam Houston State, had a 6.8-second time Saturday night and finished second in the overall standings at 25.7 seconds. Georgia Diez of Cochise County College in Arizona was third in 26.6 seconds.

This was not Winchell’s first rodeo, by any means. She placed third in the goat tying at the CNFR when she was a sophomore at Eastern Wyoming College at Torrington in 2012, was among the 12 finalist at the national rodeo in 2013 after she transferred to Chadron State and tied for second in the goat tying as a CSC senior in 2014.

After not competing last year, Winchell re-enrolled at Chadron State as a graduate student this year, earning one more year of eligibility. She easily won the goat tying title in the Central Rocky Mountain Region this year, compiling 1,080 points, 465 more than the runner-up.

Winchell is Chadron State’s seventh national champion rodeo contestant. The others, in order, have been Don Meter of Minatare, Neb., calf roping in 1955; Jean Fuchs of Thedford, Neb., breakaway roping in 1978; Kathy Kennedy of Channing, Texas, breakaway roping in 1979; Shelley Meter of Minatare, Neb., national rodeo all-around cowgirl in 1987; Will Farrell of Lander, Wyo., bull riding in both 1999 and 2001; and Dustin Elliott, John Day, Ore., bull riding in 2000.

Winchell is Chadron State’s fourth national champion in athletics so far in 2016. The others were in track and field.

Another Shelby—Shelby Bozner of Rock Springs, Wyoming,—won the heptathlon at the recent NCAA Division II National Outdoor Meet, and long jumpers Stachia Reuwsaat of Rapid City, South Dakota, and Damarcus Simpson of Lafayette, Georgia, were the indoor and outdoor champions, respectively.

Three Chadron State College cowboys also were among the 12 finalists in their events Saturday night in Casper.  

Nate McFadden of Elsmere, Nebraska, who was tied for fourth in bareback riding, did not receive a score in the finals, while both Colby Anders of Bayard, Nebraska, in steer wrestling and Prestyn Novak of Newell, South Dakota, in tie down roping finished eighth in the final standings. 

Anders’ time was 14.2 seconds Saturday night and Novak completed his run in 11.8 seconds. Both went into the finals in 12^th place.