Great support

Dear Editor,

We would like to thank all the people of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas who followed Garrett Nokes to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Also, those from Oklahoma, Colorado, Arkansas and the Dakotas.

And, all of those back home who stayed up late to watch every night.

All the support was so great as we have watched Garrett from the age of 10, rodeo in Little Britches, High School and College and achieve his lifelong dream of reaching the NFR on the professional level, competing with the top 15 in the world for over $5 million in prize money.

Winning the first go round was a great send-off for Garrett.

Nebraska had three other competitors in the NFR. They all made a good showing at the finals.

Garrett entered NFR fifth in the All Around standing with $102,287.57, finished seventh with $156,386.12.

He entered steer wrestling at NFR in fifth with $73,676.36, won $54,098.55 at NFR and finished fourth in the world with $127,774.91!

Other Nebraska competitors, Dean Gorsuch from Signey finished sixth in steer wrestling with $118,943.94, June Holeman in Arcadia in barrel race ended up 12th with $77,246.25, bull rider Matt Elliott ended up fourth with $159,211 (Matt was on the Curtis College Rodeo Team).

Wow, what a year for all these Nebraska athletes. As Garrett (in his red shirt) backed into the box one night, the rodeo announcer said "There are two great big red things from Nebraska -- the football team and steer wrestler Garrett Nokes!" That made a mother proud.

Once again, thanks for all the support from friends, relatives and co-workers.

It's been a great year!

Rodeo makes great athletes and great life-long friends.

Brenda Nokes Morell,

McCook