Badlands Circuit Champions Crowned
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A season of rodeo ended in the Magic City this weekend.
The Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo, the culmination of a year's worth of PRCA rodeo, wrapped up with titles won in two categories: year end, for the most money won over the regular season and in Minot, and aggregate, the fastest combined times or highest combined scores after three performances in Minot October 9-11.
Bareback rider Ben Kramer got it done in Minot.
The Max, North Dakota cowboy won both the year end and the aggregate titles, winning more than $25,000 for the season and scoring 258 points combined over the three days.
The 25-year-old came into the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in second place, trailing Will DeMontigny, and the two battled it out all weekend. Both won checks in all three rounds, but Kramer's first place finish and two second place finishes prevailed.
He is the third generation of Kramers to ride bareback horses. His dad, Shawn, qualified for the Badlands Circuit Finals several times, and his granddad, Jack Kramer, was also a bareback rider.
For Chase Kling, rodeo is what his family does.
Chase's parents, Russ and Kami, raise bucking horses, and Russ and his brothers: Daryl, Shane and Dale all competed. Russ was a bull rider, Daryl a saddle bronc rider, Shane a bareback and bull rider, and Dale a bareback rider. Russ qualified for the Badlands Circuit Finals several times, winning the aggregate in 1999.
"The circuit finals is a very cool experience," Chase said. "It's meaningful to me. This is a goal I had, and I made it."
Kling won the Sunday performance and finished third in the Friday and Saturday performances. His total score on three head was 255 points.
The 19-year-old is the 2026 National High School Rodeo reserve champion saddle bronc rider. A student at Dickinson State University, he rodeos collegiately. A college rodeo at Dickinson State coincided with the circuit finals, so he and bareback rider Cole Gerhardt went to Dickinson on Saturday morning to compete, then came back to finish the weekend in Minot. Kling won the college rodeo.
Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, South Dakota, won the saddle bronc riding year-end title.
In the breakaway roping, Samantha Fulton dominated two of the three performances to win the year end and aggregate titles.
The Miller, South Dakota cowgirl won the Friday and Saturday shows with times of 2.2 and 2.1, respectively.
She's aboard the two-time Badlands Circuit Breakaway Horse of the Year, Hank, a 13-year-old sorrel gelding she purchased four years ago. His speed and athleticism make him an excellent breakaway horse, she said.
Fulton has qualified for nine Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeos. This is her third breakaway roping title; she also won the title in 2019 and 2022.
In the tie-down roping, a South Dakota man won the aggregate in Minot.
Dalton Porch, Wall, had a combined time of 28 seconds on three runs to take the title.
The 21-year-old, the 2025 Indian National Finals Rodeo tie-down and all-around champ, was headed to Las Vegas to compete in this year's Indian National Finals Rodeo. This was his second time to qualify for the Badlands Circuit Finals.
Trey Young, Dupree, South Dakota, is the 2026 tie-down year-end winner.
Other 2026 champions include steer wrestlers Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Nebraska (year-end) and Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, South Dakota (aggregate); team ropers Logan Olson, Flandreau, South Dakota (year end and aggregate); Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, South Dakota (year end); Matt Zancanella, Aurora, South Dakota (aggregate); barrel racer Summer Kosel, Glenham, South Dakota (year end and aggregate); and bull riders Riley Shippy, Colome, South Dakota (year end) and Raile Joens, Eagle Butte, South Dakota (aggregate.) The all-around titles went to Austin Hurlburt (year end) and Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, South Dakota (circuit finals.)
Next year's Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo is scheduled for October 8-10, 2027.
The champions in each event will represent the Badlands Circuit at the NFR Open, held in Colorado Springs in July 2027. In the event that the same person has won both titles, the second person in the year-end race qualifies for the NFR Open.
Year end and circuit finals winners for the Badlands Circuit
All-around Champion: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb.
All-around champion for the Finals: Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, S.D.
Bareback riding
Bareback Riding Year End Champion: Ben Kramer, Max, N.D.
Bareback Riding Aggregate Champion: Ben Kramer, Max, N.D.
First round:
1. Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. 87 points on the Sutton Rodeo horse Miss Davis; 2. Will DeMontigny, Dunseith, N.D. 83.5; 3. Jamie Howlett, Roma, Queensland 82.5; 4. Cole Gerhardt, Mandan, N.D. 82.
Second round:
1. Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 87.5 points on Muddy Creek Pro Rodeo's Joe Gee; 2. Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. 86; 3. Carson Hildre, Velva, N.D. 85; 4. (tie) Tyler Graf, Rozet, Wyo. and Will DeMontigny, Dunseith, N.D. 83.5 each.
Third round:
1. Carson Hildre, Velva, N.D. 88.5 points on Korkow Rodeo's Slushy Milk; 2. (tie) Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. and Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 85 each; 4. Will DeMontigny, Dunseith, N.D. 81.5
Aggregate results (highest score on three head):
1. Ben Kramer, Max, N.D. 258 points on 3 head; 2. Carson Hildre, Velva, N.D. 252; 3. Clay Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 251; 4. Will DeMontigny, Dunseith, N.D. 248.5.
Steer Wrestling
Steer Wrestling Year End Champion: Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb.
Steer Wrestling Aggregate Champion: Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D.
First round:
1. Chance Grill, Mitchell, S.D. 4.7 seconds; 2. Justice Johnson, Bismarck, N.D. 4.8; 3. Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D. 5.2; 4. Rope Smith, Killdeer, N.D. 5.3.
Second round:
1. Austin Hurlburt, Norfolk, Neb. 3.8 seconds; 2. Riley Reiss, Manning, N.D. 3.9; 3. Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D. 4.0; 4. Rope Smith, Killdeer, N.D. 4.5.
Third round:
1. Trey Bohmbach, Stanley, N.D. 4.0 seconds; 2. Chance Grill, Mitchell, S.D. 4.7; 3. (tie) Joe Wilson, Martin, S.D. and Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. 4.9 each.
Aggregate results (highest score on three head):
1. Sawyer Strand, Sioux Falls, S.D. 14.6 seconds on 3 head; 2. Rope Smith, Killdeer, N.D. 14.8; 3. Trey Bohmbach, Stanley, N.D. 15.0; 4. Chance Grill, Mitchell, S.D. 15.5
Team Roping
Team Roping Year End Champion Header: Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D.
Heeler: Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, S.D.
Team Roping Aggregate Champion Header: Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D.
Heeler: Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D.
First round:
1. Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. 4.2 seconds; 2. Payton Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Logan Schliinz, Whitewood, S.D. 5.5; 3. Trevor Olson, Mud Butte, S.D./Jade Nelson, Midland, S.D. 5.7; 4. Marty McPherson, Piedmont, S.D./Jet Jensen, Belle Fourche, S.D. 5.8.
Second round:
1. Tucker McDaniel, Midland, S.D./Cash Hetzel, Lemmon, S.D. 5.3 seconds; 2. Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. 5.4; 3. Sage Burress, Isabel, S.D./Sern Weishaar, Belle Fourche, S.D. 5.7; 4. AJ Zieman, Sheyenne, N.D./Tucker White, Hershey, Neb. 8.0.
Third round:
1. Payton Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Logan Schliinz, Whitewood, S.D. 4.3 seconds; 2. Marty McPherson, Piedmont, S.D./Jet Jensen, Belle Fourche, S.D. 4.5; 3. (tie) Blair Lammers, Hartford, S.D./Tel Sorenson, Watford City, N.D. and Sage Burress, Isabel, S.D./Sern Weishaar, Belle Fourche, S.D. 4.6 each.
Aggregate results (fastest time on three head):
1. Logan Olson, Flandreau, S.D./Matt Zancanella, Aurora, S.D. 21.1 seconds on 3 head; 2. Payton Pirrung, Hartford, S.D./Logan Schliinz, Whitewood, S.D. 26.9; 3. JB Lord, Menoken, N.D./Ed Shearer, Parshall, N.D. 30.0; 4. Marty McPherson, Piedmont, S.D./Jet Jensen, Belle Fourche, S.D. 31.7.
Saddle Bronc Riding
Saddle Bronc Year End Champion: Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, S.D.
Saddle Bronc Aggregate Champion: Chase Kling, Belfield, N.D.
First round:
1. Thayne Elshere, Sturgis, S.D. 84.5 points on the Sutton Rodeo horse Top Hat Rendezvous; 2. Talon Elshere, Hereford, S.D. 83; 3. (tie) Chase Kling, Belfield, N.D. and Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, S.D. 82.5 each.
Second round:
1. Cash Wilson, Whitewood, S.D. 87 points on Korkow Rodeo's Rubber Match; 2. Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, S.D. 86; 3. Chase Kliing, Belfield, N.D. 85; 4. Kash Deal, Faith, S.D. 84.5.
Third round:
1. (tie) Cash Wilson, Whitewood, S.D., 87.5 points on Korkow Rodeo's Joker Poker and Chase Kliing, Belfield, N.D. 87.5 points on Korkow's Me Mojo; 3. Thayne Elshere, Sturgis, S.D. 85.5; 4. Jade Blackwell, Rapid City, S.D. 84.5.
Aggregate results (highest score on three head):
1. Chase Kling, Belfield, N.D. 255 points on 3 head; 2. Cash Wilson, Whitewood, S.D. 254.5; 3. Thayne Elshere, Sturgis, S.D. 250; 4. (tie) Christopher Nelson, Lake Andes, S.D. and Talon Elshere, Hereford, S.D. 249 each.
Breakaway Roping
Breakaway Roping Year End Champion: Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D.
Breakaway Roping Aggregate Champion: Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D.
First round:
1. Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D. 2.2 seconds; 2. Teddi Morman, Glen Ullin, N.D. 2.7; 3. (tie) Sydney Theobald, Ft. Pierre, S.D. and Amber Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D. 2.9 each.
Second round:
1. Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D. 2.1 seconds; 2. Anna Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. 2.3; 3. Cedar Jandreau, Kennebec, S.D. 6.5; 4. Jenna Fulton 12.0.
Third round:
1. Amber Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D. 1.9 seconds; 2. Sierra Lee, Rhame, N.D. 2.4; 3. Jacque Peterson, Isabel, S.D. 2.5; 4. Sadie Dale, Plaza, N.D. 2.9.
Aggregate results (fastest time on three head):
1. Samantha Fulton, Miller, S.D. 4.3 seconds; 2. Amber Carson, Grassy Butte, N.D. 4.8; 3. Sierra Lee, Rhame, N.D. 14.8; 4. Jacque Peterson, Isabel, S.D. 16.9.
Tie-down Roping
Tie Down Roping Year End Champion: Trey Young, Dupree, S.D.
Tie Down Roping Aggregate Champion: Dalton Porch, Kadoka, S.D.
First round:
1. Myles Kenzy, Iona, S.D. 8.9 seconds; 2. Dalton Porch, Kadoka, S.D. 9.6; 3. Steve Kuntz, North Branch, Minn. 9.7; 4. Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. 10.3.
Second round:
1. Ty Moser, Volga, S.D. 9.6 seconds; 2. JT Adamson, Cody, Neb. 9.9; 3. Dalton Porch, Kadoka, S.D. 10.0; 4. Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, S.D. 11.0.
Third round:
1. Dalton Porch, Kadoka, S.D. 8.4 seconds; 2. Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, S.D. 8.7; 3. Thane Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 9.4; 4. Myles Kenzy, Iona, S.D. 9.5.
Aggregate results (fastest time on three head):
1. Dalton Porch, Kadoka, S.D. 28.0 seconds on 3 head; 2. Myles Kenzy, Iona, S.D. 32.4; 3. Ty Moser, Volga, S.D. 33.2; 4. Rance Bowden, Belle Fourche, S.D. 33.4.
Barrel Racing
Barrel Racing Year End Champion: Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D.
Barrel Racing Aggregate Champion: Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D.
First round:
1. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 13.46 seconds; 2. Heidi Gunderson, Murdock, Minn. 13.60; 3. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 13.63; 4. Siggy Scheid, Hazen, N.D. 13.82.
Second round:
1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 13.55 seconds; 2. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 13.58; 3. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, S.D. 13.59; 4. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, N.D. 13.60.
Third round:
1. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, N.D. 13.42 seconds; 2. Heidi Gunderson, Murdock, Minn. 13.46; 3. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 13.56; 4. Siggy Scheid, Hazen, N.D. 13.57.
Aggregate results (fastest time on three head):
1. Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. 40.60 seconds on 3 runs; 2. Heidi Gunderson, Murdock, Minn. 40.76; 3. Siggy Scheid, Hazen, N.D. 41.30; 4. Emilee Pauley, Wall, S.D. 41.45.
Bull Riding
Bull Riding Year End Champion: Riley Shippy, Colome, S.D.
Bull Riding Aggregate Champion: Raile Joens, Eagle Butte, S.D.
First round:
1. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D. 85.5 points on Bailey Pro Rodeo's Buckle Up; 2. Raile Joens, Eagle Butte, S.D. 82; 3. Carter Hanson, Alcester, S.D. 80; no other qualified rides.
Second round:
No qualified rides.
Third round:
1. Riley Shippy, Colome, S.D. 84.5 points on Muddy Creek Rodeo's Prime Evil; 2. Raile Joens, Eagle Butte, S.D. 82.5; 3. Lante Swallow, Batesland, Minn. 79.5; 4. Blaine Petersen, Tyler, Minn. 78.5.
Aggregate results (highest score on three head):
1. Raile Joens, Eagle Butte, S.D. 164.5 points on 2 head; 2. Jeff Bertus, Avon, S.D. 85.5 on one head; 3. Riley Shippy, Colome, S.D. 84.5; 4. Carter Hanson, Alcester, S.D. 80.