December - Wingspan

30WingspansportsDecember 6, 2010wingspan.lccc.wy.eduNebraska cowboys tear up TorringtonHeupel, Johnson, Spickelmeir finish strong in WRA FinalsBy Cody TuckerSports EditorCurrent andformerGoldenEaglesdominated the 2010Wyoming RodeoAssociation finals Nov.19–20, in Torrington,with Nebraska natives,Ryan Heupel winningthe overall saddlebronc championshipand bull rider LonceyJohnson continuinghis winning ways,taking home anotherbuckle in the finalrodeo of the year.Heupel, anAlliance, Neb., nativeand former LaramieCounty CommunityCollege rodeo teammember, won the2010 overall saddlebronc WRA championshipwith consistentperformancesall year. Althoughhe didn’t win thefinal rodeo, Heupelfinished with a comfortablelead in thestandings, earning$3,948.98 in 2010 andhis first ever WRA title.Continuing rightwhere he left off forLCCC in the firstsemester of collegerodeo, North Platte,Neb., native, Johnsonwon the bull ridingin dominatingfashion. In the longgo, Johnson broughtthe crowd to its feetwith an 82-point rideon a bull named “AirFreight.”“He was a littlehard to track,”Johnson said. “Hethrew a couple reallygood moves at mewith a couple of bellyrolls, and I really hadto catch up with him.He had a bunch ofdust on him, too, andit got in my eyes, and Icouldn’t see there for asecond.”“He was a little hard totrack. He threw a couplereally good moves at mewith a couple of belly rolls,and I really had to catch upwith him.”On his second ride,Johnson scored a 71-point ride on the bull“Who’s Water,” givinghim a first-place finishin the average andgiving the No. 1 bullrider in the nationmore hardware to addto the trophy case in2010.“It was a decentride,” Johnson said.“It was a really bigconfidence builder forme. I haven’t been onanything really goodsince Cheyenne’srodeo.”Salmon,Idaho, native ColeThoreson also hada strong showing inTorrington. Thoresonlanded a 73-point ridein the short go on thehorse “Spot,” givinghim a second-placefinish overall in theWRA finals.Former LCCC steerwresler, and Imperial,Nebr., native MilesSpickelmeir also hadan impressive WRAfinals’ showing finishingwith a 6.6 secondsrun in the long go andfollowing that up witha time of 5.6 secondsin the short go. With atotal time of 12.2 secondsin his two runs,Spickelmeir finishedsecond overall inthe finals. Currently,Spickelmier is a juniorat Chadron StateCollege in Chadron,Neb.Another formerGolden Eagle, bullrider Cory Morgan ofCheyenne, finishedfourth overall in thelong go with a 70-point ride on the bull“Scorpion.”“He went aroundto the right,” Morgansaid. “He was just likea practice bull. Like aday off.”The competitionis a little bit tougherthan the bulls accordingto Morgan, especiallywhen a familiarface is always on top.“In college rodeothere is more competition,”Morgan said.“But even here youhave (Loncey), and heis riding everything.”Morgan is nowa member of theEastern WyomingLoncey JohnsonLCCC bull riderCollege rodeo team inTorrington where he isearning his degree inwelding.LCCC team membersJake Buckhaultsand Jaime Musfeltalso competed inTorrington, withneither reaching theshort go.Cowboy tough:(Left) LCCCcowboy andHawk Springs,Wyo., native JakeBuckhaults ridessaddle bronc inthe long go ofthe WRA FinalsNov. 19–20,in Torrington.(Below) FormerLCCC and currentChadron StateCollege cowboyMiles Spickelmeircompetes in thesteer wrestlingin the long go.Spickelmeirfinished secondoverall in theaverage.Photos by Kadie Floud