NCTA Ranch Horse Team in action

RAPID CITY, South Dakota -- The Ranch Horse Team of the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture in Curtis, Nebraska, started its spring season at the Black Hills Stock Show Merck Animal Health Ranch Horse Competition Jan. 29 and 30, in Rapid City, South Dakota.

There were 151 contestants in eight divisions. Contestants competed in dry work, consisting of a trail course and reining maneuvers. They also had to sort a cow from the herd, drive it into the arena and work it in the arena. Contestants had a time limit of between 5 and 5.5 minutes, depending on their division, to complete all requirements of their class.

Two of the students on the NCTA team competed: Lacey Finney of Broken Bow, Nebraska, and Callie Gorder of Iowa Falls, Iowa. Finney, riding her horse Flash, placed sixth in the novice division.

Other local riders placing in Rapid City were Christy Miller of Tryon placing third in the Lady Rancher, Sarah Thornberg of Wellfleet placing fourth in the Lady Rancher, and Taya Lembke of Wellfleet placing seventh in the Novice division.

NCTA also competed in two ranch horse competitions in the fall at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, and at Tarelton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Courtney Badger of Kerwin, Kansas, competed in CSU with Courtney, Billy Leaply of Coleridge, Nebraska, and Lacey Finney competing at Tarelton State.

The Ranch Horse Team plans to compete yet this spring in CSU in Fort Collins, Colorado; Region 5 Collegiate Championships at LCCC in Cheyenne, Wyoming; NJC in Sterling, Colorado; and the Collegiate National Finals at Amarillo, Texas.

Other members of the team that haven't competed yet are: Jordyn Van Ryswyk, Glenville, Minnesota; Sandiey Petersen, Garland, Nebraska; Allison Harm, Manley, Nebraska; Chelsea Altena, Curtis, Nebraska; Tanner McVay, Ogallala, Nebraska; David Iekel, Atlantic, Iowa; Casey Bringewatt, North Platte, Nebraska; Cassandra Zemann, Lyons, Nebraska; Lacey McCullock, Decatur, Nebraska; Emily Gubbels, Laurel, Nebraska; Michelle Gentert, Holstein, Nebraska; Courtney Kral, Campbell, Nebraska; Kalli Van Ryswyk, Glenville, Minnesota; Dayna Cayer, Wauneta, Nebraska; Randee Hoffman, North Platte, Nebraska; Liz Sidebottom, Persia, Iowa; Kassandra Chauncey, Mission, South Dakota; Megan Klassen, Bailey, Colorado; and Ashley Panowicz, St. Paul, Nebraska.

The NCTA Ranch Horse Team is a member of the American Stock Horse Association's Collegiate Division. ASHA is three years old and is the national organization that grew out of the popular Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) organization. In just three years, the ASHA Collegiate Division has grown to 20 colleges and universities. ASHA shows have four classes: trail, ranch riding (hybrid pleasure), reining, and working cow horse. Because ASHA is committed to education and in helping people ride better horses, each show also has a clinic to help riders before the show.

Each class is judged and scored separately with all scores combined for an all-around score. ASHA has three levels for students to compete in based on their riding skills.