Submitted Photo Molly Otto of Grand Forks, North Dakota races around a barrel on her horse, Mesa, at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot. Photo by Jackie Jensen courtesy of Ruth Nicolaus.

Minot hosted the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo over the weekend, Oct. 10-12. The Badlands Circuit Rodeo has been running events for this season since January with it all culminating in the Minot Final Rodeo. The last weekends’ Finals Rodeo consisted of eight different events, including bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and bull riding.

Carson Hildre out of Velva was the Year End Champion in the event. This year was Hildre’s first trip to the Badlands Circuit Finals and finished the year with more than $26,000 in season earnings after winning second place in two out of his three performances. Hildre is twelve years younger than the Bareback Riding Average Champion for the season, Shane O’Connell, out of Rapid City, SD. O’Connell has qualified for the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo and earned his first win over the weekend. O’Connell won the average for the event riding three horses for a combined 251 points.

Scott Kleeman out of Killdeer took home the Steer Wrestling Year End Champion title after his performance this season. Kleeman came into the finals in Minot already in first place and won the round on Sunday, Oct. 12, with a 4.0 second run to win second in the average, timing and average of 15.6 seconds on three steer. Rope Smith, also out of Killdeer, was the Average Champion.

In break-away roping, Sloan Anderson from Whitehorse, SD was the Year End Champion and Taylor Engesser from Spearfish, SD finished as Average Champion. Engesser scored an average time of 6.4 seconds on three heads.

Molly Otto, a racer out of Grand Forks, took home the average title in barrel racing after the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo over the weekend. Otto, along with her horse “Mesa”, ran an average of 41.02 seconds over the course of three runs. Mesa was also the recipient of the Badlands Barrel Horse Rising Star award at the event. Lisa Lockhart from Oelrichs, SD took home the Year End Champion title.

Jeff Bertus out of Avon, SD has the Bull Riding Year End Champion in the back before the Finals Circuit Rodeo even took place. Bertus came to the finals rodeo with more than $47,000 in season earnings already in his pocket, more than $25,000 than the rider in second place. Bertus’ finals were not as successful as the rest of his season, just taking second place in the finals’ second round, riding just one bull over the course of the event. The Average Title winner, Jestyn Woodward from Custer, SD, was the only rider at the finals to ride three bulls. He earned 256.5 points on three heads.

The Saddle Bronc Year End Champion for this season was Cash Wilson out of Wall, SD. Easton West of New Underwood, SD was the event’s Average Champion with the third round of the finals ending in a tie between West and Thayne Elshere from Sturgis, SD with 85 points.

The Tie Down Roping Year End Champion for this year is Myles Kenzy from Iona, SD. The Average Champion at the Finals Circuit Rodeo was JT Adamson from Cody, NE.

The Badlands All-Around of the Year title went to Myles Kenzy. Thayne Elshere won the Circuit Finals All-Around title.