story by Ruth Nicolaus
Reid Helgoth is ready for the next chapter of his life. The Burwell, Neb. cowboy, a bull rider in the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association, is a 2018 alum of Burwell High School, where he spent four years playing football, wrestling, and running track. He was part of the Longhorns’ 2016 State Champion Football Team, and runners-up the previous year. Reid was a member of FFA as well.
He’ll miss high school, he said. “Going to a small, small school (there were 25 kids in his graduating class), you are close to most of the people there. You knew practically everybody. I know I’ll miss it but I’m ready for the next chapter.”
For Reid, the next chapter is Chadron (Neb.) State College, where he will major in range livestock management and rodeo for them. “I have some pretty big plans,” he said.
A big hole exists in his life. His good friend and fellow high school bull rider Colton Jensen passed away in May. The two were traveling partners and were going to room and rodeo together at Chadron State this fall. Reid misses his friend. “He was outgoing. He loved life. He had big dreams, too, big dreams that I hope I can accomplish for him and for myself.”
For fun, Reid loves to hang out with one of his best friends, Riggin Shippy, in Colome, S.D. The Shippy family has bucking bulls, and they often get on practice bulls.
This summer, he’s worked for his dad, who owns Big Red Feed in Burwell and Sargent. Reid helps mix, bag, load and deliver feed to customers.
The best meal his mom makes is cubed steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. He loves his mom’s brownies and his grandma’s cherry and strawberry kolaches. His favorite beverage is Gatorade; his favorite social media platform is Snapchat, and he loves playing Fortnite. If he had $1 million to spend, he’d buy a bigger and better traveling van than he already has, put up an indoor arena, and get some bulls.
The most fun Reid’s had traveling was at Laramie, Wyo., when he and his family visited. They stayed at a hotel at the base of a mountain and went four-wheeling and off-roading. He loves the cool, fresh mountain air.
Reid admires the riding style of four-time world champion bull rider Sage Kimzey, because “his form is well put together. Every move he makes on top of a bull is perfect.”
He has an older brother, Lane, who is a student at Chadron State, and a younger sister, Carlie, who is fifteen. He is the son of Jess and Pam Helgoth.
