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Ft. Hays rodeo students benefit from Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo

PHILLIPSBURG, KAN. (March 13, 2017) – Two Ft. Hays (Kan.) State University (FHSU) students have been awarded scholarships courtesy of the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association.

Kaitlyn Dinges, Ness City, Kan., and Wyatt Livingston, Oxford, Neb., are recipients of $500 scholarships towards their education at Ft. Hays State.

Dinges, who will graduate in May of 2018, is working towards a major in agricultural business and economics certificate. The twenty-year-old cowgirl competes in the barrel racing and breakaway roping, and in high school, was involved in FFA, Kansas High School Rodeo, was a Kay’s Member, a member of FCCLA, and on the president’s honor roll.

After graduation, she plans on working on her master’s degree in agricultural economics at West Texas A&M in Canyon, Texas, with the possibility of getting her doctorate. She may teach, or might pursue a career in agriculture risk management.

Receiving the scholarship is important to her, as she has made the goal of graduating debt free from college and will graduate in three years instead of four. “It’s super expensive to rodeo and go to college, and make ends meet,” she said. “With taking as many hours as I am, I have to make up the difference in my tuition.” She hasn’t taken out any student loans, either. “I’ve worked my butt off, trying to get as many scholarships as I can. If I’m able to graduate debt free, it’ll make a huge impact on my life down the road.”

Dinges, whose sister Danielle (Dinges) Foos was the 2010 Miss Rodeo Kansas, has attended the Phillipsburg rodeo in the past.

She is the daughter of Darren and Brenda Dinges.

Wyatt Livingston is the second recipient of a Phillipsburg Rodeo scholarship. The college sophomore competes in the team roping as a heeler, and is majoring in agricultural business.

In high school at Southern Valley south of Oxford, Neb., he was a member of FFA, FBLA and Nebraska High School Rodeo, played football and wrestled, and showed cattle and horses in 4-H. He was on the honor roll and was a member of the Oxford Volunteer Fire Department.

During the summers, he competes in the Kansas Pro Rodeo Association, the U.S. Team Roping Championships and the Mid-States Rodeo Association.

He has attended the Phillipsburg rodeo the past ten years, as a guest of his girlfriend’s parents, sponsors of the rodeo. He loves watching the team roping. “The most entertaining thing for me, as a team roper,” he said, “is to see the big gun team ropers. I like to see the big names rope.”

The scholarship means a lot to him, he said. “Fort Hays (State University) doesn’t give us money for entry fees (per the rules of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association). They pay for our fuel and motels, but we still have to pay entry fees, food expenses and horse and hay expenses.” He works part time for a veterinarian in Hays.

He will graduate in May of 2018, and hopes to work on the family farm and ranch near Oxford.

He is the son of Julie Sherwood and Jeff Livingston.

Since 1997, the Phillipsburg Rodeo Association has awarded scholarships to FHSU students who compete in rodeo. The Phillipsburg Rodeo Association is the organization behind Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, which will be held August 3-5, 2017. For more information on the rodeo, visit www.KansasBiggestRodeo.com.