ALVA, Okla. – Over the course of the summer, Emmett Edler changed hats.
The nice thing about it is both are still cowboy hats, so it wasn't much of a stretch. Edler, a two-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier from State Center, Iowa, graduated from Northwestern Oklahoma State University last May. Shortly thereafter, Rangers rodeo coach Cali Griffin hired him as an assistant.
Now, Edler not only helps lead the rodeo team as a mentor, but he's back in competition, earning another year of eligibility to his resume as he continues to battle in the sport he loves. He proved it over the weekend by winning the steer wrestling title at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Durant.
"I wasn't planning on rodeoing again this year, and then I decided to take the job as the assistant coach," said Edler, who shared the first-round victory with a 4.0-second run, then stopped the clock in 4.9 seconds to win the final round and the aggregate title. "I decided to get my master's degree and figured if I was going to be going to these college rodeos, I might as well be entered up and give myself one more chance at the college finals."
It's working, both in the arena and out. He led the team in competition and guided the younger contestants when it wasn't his time to shine. It paid off with 19 Rangers qualifying for the championship round in 21 positions – Riley Smith of Poteau, Oklahoma, and Payton Dingman of Pryor, Oklahoma, earned short-round bids in two events.
"Hiring Emmett feels like it's absolutely paying off," said Griffin, now in her second year as the Northwestern coach. "It shows in our practice pen as well as at the rodeo, because he's putting in the work and making those guys better. It helps that he gets to rodeo on his grad year, and I'm really happy with what he's doing."
So does Edler, who quickly moved into the bulldogging lead in the Central Plains Region. He is one of three Rangers among the top five in the points race, but it's still early in the season.
Edler was also one of five steer wrestlers in the championship round, joined by Nathan Duvall of Henryetta, Oklahoma, who finished fourth in the final performance and fifth overall; Grady Aasby of Highmore, South Dakota, who placed in both rounds; and Smith and Shilo Glover of Ada, Oklahoma.
"Having that many from our team in the short round is how it should be," Edler said. "We practice hard every day, and there are a lot of people on the team that work hard at it. A lot of people deserve to make the short rounds, so it's good to see that. I think we're going to keep working at it the rest of the season."
Team roping had a distinct Northwestern flavor to it, with eight Rangers in the mix. Header Cooper Mott of Kansas, Oklahoma, placed in both rounds and finished third overall while roping with Rydan White of Fort Scott (Kansas) Community College. Header Sage Bader of Kim, Colorado, also scored points in both rounds and finished fifth while roping with Braxton Foster of Western Oklahoma State College.
Heelers Smith – roping with Kyree Donaldson of Northeastern Oklahoma A&M – and Colter Snook of Dodge City, Kansas – roping with Dexton Hoelting of Western Oklahoma – made the final round, as did the teams of Cory Weir of Dodge City and Payton Blank of Murdock, Kansas, and Sadie Hammond of Avondale, Colorado, and Eli Penrod of Ulysses, Kansas. Weir and Blank finished fourth in the final round and sixth overall. Tie-down roper Kerry Duvall of Oakdale, California, finished fourth in both the short round and the average.
"I think we're going to see more people finishing in those higher spots and winning a lot more points than we did at Durant," Edler said.
The women were led by breakaway roper Kendyll Miller, who placed in the opening round with a 2.7-second run, then won the short-go with a 2.4 to finish second overall.
"The key was just being consistent and taking my shot," said Miller, a freshman from Hennessey, Oklahoma. "The region is tough. Depending on the calves and the setup, you need to figure out what you need to do on the calves you have and just try to make the best of it. Sometimes you don't draw the best, so you just have to take advantage when you do."
It helps that she has a great partner in Peanut, a 13-year-old gray gelding.
"I actually watched him be born, and I rode him all through junior high and high school," she said. "I got off him for a little bit, but I decided that he was probably the best option for these rodeos."
Dingman understands that as well as anyone. The sophomore, who made the college finals this past June, took advantage of her horse power to finish sixth in the final round of breakaway roping and the aggregate. She also placed in both rounds of goat-tying to finish tied for fourth overall.
She and Miller were joined in the final go-round by fellow breakaway ropers Trista Regner of Apple Valley, California – who finished the first round in a four-way tie for fifth with Miller – and River Hamaker of Leon, Iowa. Also competing in the last performance were goat-tiers Trinity Kruse of Pretty Prairie, Kansas – who placed in the short-go and the average – and Bennett McComas of Temecula, California.
"Our women's team is just different in the coolest way this year," Griffin said. "They truly embody the saying, 'iron sharpens iron.' That's a group of girls that wants to work together and are literally pushing each other, rooting for each other and want the best for each other. Being behind the chutes and behind the alley with them is such an amazing experience.
"Kendyll has made her mark as a freshman at her first two college rodeos, and I'm so happy for her. That girl ropes so good, and her teammates were right there cheering her on, getting the calf's head, standing in the box with her. I'm just so pumped for the standard they're setting."