M-SRA member, John Kamphaus – courtesy of Jess Holen
story by Terry Rhodes
John Kamphaus will be coming on board as the team roping event director for 2016. “I’ll be representing the team ropers in the association. They’re doing the Finals payout a little different now. The more money that each event raises will increase the amount there is for payouts to contestants. So I’ll be working on getting more sponsorship for our event.” John first joined the Mid-States association after he finished college four years ago. He is also a member of the World Series of Team Roping and USTRC but he likes the Mid-States group because of the good payouts and “…there are a lot of the Mid-States rodeos that are close to the house so that makes it real convenient to rodeo in the summer. It’s a family type association where the wife and kids and dog can go and you don’t have to be gone for weeks at a time. It’s fun for everybody.”
John’s parents roped together so it was pretty easy for him to pick up a rope and get started. “My dad calf roped and team roped and he taught me and my brother to rope. We’ve always roped our cattle in the pasture to doctor them. I never went to any roping schools but I’ve had people along the way that have showed me things and taught me things about roping that have helped a lot. I’m always up for learning something new. I did rodeo in high school and in college at Eastern Wyoming College in Torrington on a rodeo scholarship.” He credits his father as being his biggest influence. “He always made sure we had horses, hauled us to rodeos, and helped us. He’s always been there for us.”
John says that his preparation for competition is easier these days. “I used to get nervous when I was younger, but anymore, I enjoy it and go do the best I can and hope it works out. Nerves get to everybody sometimes. At team ropings, I try to just go make smart runs and at rodeos I’ll push the barrier some to get that good start.” Just to make sure there is good mojo in the arena, he won’t carry 50 dollar bills and won’t put his hat on the bed.
John, 27, now makes his home in Elm Creek, Neb. During the week John is working on a ranch. “We’re feeding, checking cattle and calving out cows; everyday ranch work. I have a side business where I make custom bits, spurs, headstalls; about everything. I sell a lot through Facebook and I’m working on getting a website set up. But a lot is just word-of-mouth from people that know me and have seen my work so it’s starting to take off now.”
Leisure time, when it can be found, is spent doing some hunting or maybe a night out with friends. Down the road, John plans on building his business and getting to rope and rodeo more than he works. “My boss treats me great and I can’t complain a bit. But a guy always has a dream of being on your own.”
