National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association-Alumni (NIRAA) Archives

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NIRAA Reunion, June 14-15, Casper, WY

story by Merrill Ellis For eight days, the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) will showcase the top National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) athletes competing in nine rodeo events ranging from bull riding to barrel racing in Casper, Wyoming June 9-15. Since 1949, this rodeo finals has taken place in different cities throughout the U.S. The decades of competition will be celebrated at the Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center during the 28th Annual NIRA Alumni, Inc.…

Meet the Rodeo Team Casper College Men’s Rodeo Team

story by Larry Burgess The Casper College men’s rodeo team, coached by Dale Stiles, dominated college rodeo in the mid-1960’s, winning national championships in 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1966. They were the first two-year institution to win a national championship and the first of any college of any kind to win four consecutive titles. Three of the current National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, Inc. (NIRAA) board members; Ned Londo, Dick Claycomb and myself; Larry Burgess, are…

Meet the Member Lonnie “Lonzo” Hall – 1969 NIRA Champion Bull Rider

by Don Reichert Lonnie Hall was born in 1947 at Gettysburg, South Dakota and grew up on a ranch near Lebanon, South Dakota. He started college at South Dakota State University at Brookings, South Dakota in 1965 and didn’t like it. Lonnie’s parents said if he got good grades the first semester they would buy him a car. Second semester, he had a car and a horse trailer and a really good bay roping horse.…

The University of Arizona Celebrates 80 Years of College Rodeo!

College rodeo has some deep roots at the University of Arizona in Tucson. by Merrill Ellis In March of 1939, the University of Arizona had already held a couple of rodeos for their own students but this was the first year they competed against contestants from another college. Three Occidental College students came to take part! So, come March 16, 2019, the university rodeo will commemorate its 80th home rodeo at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds.…

Why I Joined the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc. and Why You Should Join

by Cory Ferguson If you rodeoed in college, it was probably one of the most enjoyable times of your life. I know it was for me. That is why I feel compelled to continue to support the NIRA and all that it stands for. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc is a great opportunity to maintain and renew your ties with college rodeo. If you are already a member of the NIRAA, it is…

NIRAA Will Award $30,000 in Scholarships to collegiate rodeo athletes

by Merrill Ellis The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc. Board Members (NIRA Alumni) are pleased to announce that they will award $30,000 in scholarships to collegiate rodeo athletes at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in 2019. The NIRA Alumni, Inc. focuses on ensuring that students from across the nation participating in college rodeos have the opportunity to succeed in their pursuit of higher education. “All of our board members competed in college rodeos…

Meet the Member 1959 Bareback Riding Co-Champion Larry O’Neill

story by Don Reichert San Antonio cowboy, Larry O’Neill, was the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association co-champion in the bareback riding in 1959. Rodeoing for the University of Texas at Austin, Texas, he won the Southern Region bareback riding and earned enough points at the College National Finals Rodeo in Klamath Falls, Oregon to be awarded the co-championship honor. O’Neill was born in 1937 and grew up on a ranch near Hermosa, South Dakota, south of…

Meet the Member A Shortage of Cowgirls

by Sylvia Gann Mahoney from College Rodeo from Show to Sport The team to test the qualifying rule for teams and individuals in college rodeo in 1982 was a two-cowgirl team from New Mexico Junior College. Coaches have all kinds of strategies for winning. For Coach Sylvia Mahoney, it was recruiting the best since she did not have a background of rodeo competition. The names of Tami Noble of Yale, Oklahoma, and LaRae Higgins of…

Meet the Member Jordan Thurston-Miller

story by Sharon Adams Jordan Thurston-Miller is the youngest member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni Board of Directors. She brings a welcome youthful perspective, a wealth of rodeo experience and a commitment to the future of College Rodeo and she is carrying on a family tradition. Her mother, Tiffany Thurston is also a member of the NIRAA Board. Jordan was the College National Goat Tying Champion in 2010 as a freshman at Gillette…

NIRAA Inc. to Award $30,000 in Scholarships at the 2019 College National Finals Rodeo

By Merrill Ellis The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Alumni, Inc. (NIRA Alumni) announced today that they will award $30,000 in scholarships to collegiate rodeo athletes at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in 2019. “To date, this is our largest scholarship contribution in the 27 year history of the NIRA Alumni. We are both excited and proud to make this announcement,” stated Butch Bratsky, NIRA Alumni, Inc. President. The $30,000 educational support was decided upon…

Meet the Member Leah Moellman Loeb

story by Mary Fuller Many years ago I watched a 7 year old girl run barrels during one of the last PRCA rodeos held in St. Louis, Missouri in the famous Checkerdome Arena. She was an outstanding rider at that age and continued to excel in her horsemanship as well as being a role model to others in various aspects of her life. Leah’s parents provided endless hours working with her and hauling her to…

Meet the Rodeo Team Tarleton State University

story by Merrill Ellis In the late 60’s and early 70’s, Tarleton State University (TSU) in Stephenville, Texas rocked the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association world with three consecutive national women’s team championships. They claimed these three team titles in 1969, 1970, and 1971, No other school has ever accomplished winning three national championships back-to-back. The names of these cowgirls were not only synonymous in the collegiate ranks but in the Girls Professional Rodeo Association (GRA)…