Logan J. Davis
There were several MHA Nation high school students who made the trip recently to take part in the Mandan High School Rodeo. There were some exciting moments and some fine performances with proud family members cheering on their young rodeo participants. Joselyn Froelich had one of her biggest fans watching her as she roped and rode in the spacious arena. Her grandmother is White Shield native and MHA Nation tribal member Kathyrn “Koko” (Ripley) Froelich. Froelich was extremely excited as always while her very athletic and talented granddaughter excelled in each of her performances in breakaway on both days.
“Joselyn is just in her second year of competing, but I’m very proud of the way she has taken to it and improved in such a short time. These are some exciting (high school) rodeos and for anyone who loves horses and supports these kids, these are amazing experiences,” Kathyrn Froelich emphasized.
Other young high school competitors who are known in the local circuit were also in the mix in breakaway and other events on that Saturday and Sunday. MHA Nation tribal members Shannoah Danks of Mandaree placed in the top ten placing 9th in breakaway roping on Saturday in the first rodeo (Mandan #1) and Mandaree native Marla Klein, who attends Hazen High School placed 9th on the second rodeo on Sunday (Mandan #2). Danks also competed in team roping and barrel racing. Klein was a participant in goat tying and pole bending besides the breakaway competition.
Prairie Topp is an administrator of the Mandan Horse and Saddle Club. Topp was pleased for the huge turnout and the many volunteers that helped make everything run smoothly both days at the Dakotah Centennial Park in Mandan.
“I’m happy for all the ones who participated and did their best because it’s not always about winning or being first. There were some amazing performances by so many who didn’t place because of penalties or just some bad luck,” Topp noted.
Arena Delorme is a fixture at Healing Horse Ranch in Parshall and she had an amazing time in her first breakaway run on Saturday and probably would have won if not for a gate penalty that nullified the fastest time of all the breakaway participants. Delorme kept her head up the next day and placed 15th on Sunday with a great qualifying time. There were 62 competitors in that event on Sunday. Delorme also competed in both rodeos in barrel racing.
Other local high school rodeo participants with local ties to the area were bull riders Kasen Johnson of Mandaree and Maize Two Bears of MHA Nation and Standing Rock. Two Bears also competed in team roping at both rodeos last weekend. Finally, Hatten Kleemann is a member of the MHA Nation who attends high school in Killdeer. Kleemann competed in barrel racing, goat tying and pole bending on both days of exciting rodeo action in Mandan.
