FROM STAFF REPORTS
A former member of the Northwestern rodeo team has been crowned the National Finals Rodeo World Champion, and a current Northwestern student placed in the top 10 in December 2020.
Bridger Anderson, a junior from Carrington, North Dakota, and Jacob Edler, a Northwestern graduate from State Center, Iowa, competed in the steer wrestling competition at the National Finals Rodeo in Arlington, Texas.
“You have 70 rodeos to go to, that’s the limit,” said Stockton Graves, NWOSU rodeo head coach. “It’s just the top 15 money winners of the season qualify for the National Finals Rodeo.”
Rodeo participants are limited to 70 rodeos per season. Anderson and Edler both qualified for the National Finals Rodeo because of their previous rodeo successes.
“It’s a pretty surreal moment,” Anderson said. “Ever since being a toddler, every rodeo kid dreams of qualifying for National Finals Rodeo.”
Both Anderson and Edler placed in and received earnings from the National Finals Rodeo.
In 10 rounds of wrestling steers into the dirt at Globe Life Field, Edler had a total of 43.4 seconds. This time was enough to win him a world championship.
In 2016, Edler finished second overall at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. He finished behind College National Final Rodeo champion J.D. Struxness, a fellow Northwestern graduate.
After nine rounds, Edler was sitting at sixth overall at the National Finals Rodeo in 2020. He finished his National Finals Rodeo experience with a time of 3.9 seconds in the tenth round. This finish pushed him to the top.
Anderson placed 9th at the National Finals Rodeo.
After stumbling out of the barrier in the ninth round, Anderson was penalized with an additional 10 seconds to ninth round finish. Even with his first place finish in the second round of the event, he could not catch up.
Graves said he is proud of his athletes.
“More so, I think for the university,” Graves said. “I am proud of them because they are on my team. I am more proud for the university because they represent Northwestern very well. With their success, it shows what we can do here in Alva.”
The Northwestern rodeo team will host its first rodeo of the year in Alva on Feb. 18 – 20. They will compete in nine rodeos throughout the semester to qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming.
2021
Central Plains Region
College Rodeo Schedule
— NWOSU (Alva)
Feb. 18 – 20
— FSCC (Ft. Scott, Ks.) Mar. 12 – 14
— SOSU (Durant) Mar. 26 – 28
— OSU (Stillwater)
Apr. 1 – 3
— SWOSU (Weatherford)Apr. 8 – 10
— FHSU (Hays, Ks.) Apr. 16 – 18
— OPSU (Guymon) Apr. 22 – 24
— CCC (Colby, Ks.) Apr. 30 – May 2
— CNFR (Casper, Wy.) June 14 – 20