story by Lindsay Humphrey
“It’s probably cliché, but rodeo isn’t just what we do it’s who we are,” said current M-SRA President Jason Schnoor. “I like everything about it, from the people to the horses to the places to just trying to get better at it.” This self-starter header doesn’t foresee ever quitting the sport. Growing up on a dairy farm outside of Battle Creek, Nebraska, Jason always had a desire to swing a leg over a horse. “As soon as I got out of high school, even before starting college, I started working at a feedlot. That’s when I first started roping.” At the same time, Jason started getting on bareback horses.
“I didn’t get on more than 60 bareback horses over three or four summers. I didn’t actually ride a whole lot of them, but I enjoyed that while it lasted.” Getting insight into roping came much easier for Jason, which is primarily why he continued pursuing the event and found success in it. “I definitely had to find people teach me how to rope and ride, because nobody in my family did any of it. I learned a lot from the people I worked with at the feedlot at first.” Meeting Jason Held through a mutual friend was the true turning point in Jason’s roping career.
“I didn’t know Jason at all when he needed someone to go with him to Texas to pick up some horses. I volunteered to go with him, and we’ve been friends ever since.” Jason started hopping in with Jason Held on a regular basis and he got his first taste of professional rodeo from behind the roping box in places like Guymon, Oklahoma, and Deadwood, South Dakota. “He was one of those guys who knew a lot of people and was really involved. He took me under his wing and showed me a lot.” This friendship exposed Jason to people, places and ideas that he wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It’s possible that his time with Jason Held was the launchpad for Jason’s ultimate success as a roper on both the amateur and professional level.
“I’ve done a lot of things that I thought were beyond my reach as a roper. Meeting a lot of those pro guys at the time [2001] really opened my eyes. Until you know those guys, or get to be around them, you might not succeed because you’re in awe of them but once you put a face to them and realize they’re just like you, things can change quite a bit. They did for me.” One of the feats Jason originally counted himself out for as a roper was competing on a professional level. Nowadays he enters about 20 pro rodeos a year. Of those, Deadwood is easily his favorite. “It’s the first rodeo I ever went to where all the best guys were competing. Everyone does their first run in the first slack, so you get to see everyone go. And that area is some of the best country in the world as far as I’m concerned. It’s just been a good experience for me.”
Ever since Jason first joined the M-SRA, over 13 years ago, he’s served on the board of directors for all but one year. At first, he was the team roping director, but starting in 2015 he was vice president. After a year off, 2020, Jason came back as the association president. He will finish that two-year term in 2022. “We learned a lot as an association coming off COVID. I think that not having a lot of rodeos available in 2020, but still having a lot of places to go in Nebraska, showed people that grew up in the state just how good we have it here.” Last year the M-SRA saw a lot of growth in its membership and Jason is hoping to continue that trend in 2022. “The growth we’ve seen has been amazing. I am in awe of how many people are willing to come and camp out in our state all summer to rodeo with the M-SRA. That’s a testament to our committees and our association. I’m really thankful for the directors – past, present and future – and all the people that we have in our association.”
