story by Ruth Nicolaus
The Johnston boys (Chad, Jason, Jeff and Joel) and the Kreikemeier boys (Jeff, Brad and Barry, who have a sister, Jennifer) are all ‘doggers. They all competed in high school rodeo, some in college, and, as adults, some have continued in regional and pro rodeos.
And when Jason Johnston married Jennifer Kreikemeier, the acorn didn’t fall far from the tree.
Coy, Jason and Jennifer’s oldest boy, is a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association, and competes in the chute dogging, his favorite event.
He is also a tie-down roper, team roper (heeling for his brother Cayson), and ribbon roper (roping for Jayda From.)
The fourteen-year-old cowboy lives three miles from Stapleton and has two horses for his events. Penny, a brown mare, is his tie-down and ribbon roping horse. Curly Bill, a bay, is his heel horse.
Coy is an eighth grade student at Stapleton School, where the best part of the day is playing sports and seeing his friends. He likes science class, and his favorite teacher was Mr. Shaw, his third grade teacher, who “was fun.”
Coy plays football, basketball, wrestles and runs track. He is on the honor roll. For fun, he likes to hunt deer and coyotes.
The oldest of three boys, Coy is responsible, his mom says. “He’s my serious kid,” Jennifer said. “He’s pretty determined, and a hard worker.” Coy helps his dad Jason with the family’s well drilling business. “He’s like one of the hired guys,” his mom said. “He works as hard as them. He doesn’t complain.”
Coy’s favorite food is his mom’s tater tot casserole. His favorite vegetable is corn, and his favorite fruit is apples. He loves Reese’s and brownies, and likes to wash it all down with a glass of iced tea.
If he had $1 million to spend, he’d build an indoor arena and buy horses.
He loved going to the National Junior High School Finals in Huron, S.D. last June, where he qualified in the breakaway roping and the ribbon roping.
When he grows up, he’d like to ranch and continue to compete in the steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping.
Coy has set some lofty goals and accomplished them, his mom said. “He has worked hard to achieve. He’s had some pretty good accomplishments. He puts his mind to it and works for it.”
He has two younger brothers: Cayson, with whom he team ropes, and Cotter. This is Coy’s third year of competition in junior high rodeo.
