Casey Breuer Takes Early Lead in Phillipsburg
by Jim Bainbridge | Jul 31, 2015
By Ruth Nicolaus/for the Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo committee
PHILLIPSBURG, Kan. – Casey Breuer kicked off the first night of Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo July 30 with an 81-point ride to take the lead in the bareback riding.
The Mandan, N.D. cowboy did a little research on the horse he’d drawn, Rustler, before he got to town. “I had called some guys, and they said you dang sure can win on him, so I gave him a try and it worked out today.”
Rustler is owned by Beutler and Son Rodeo Company, which has provided livestock to Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo since 1960.
The horse nearly spoiled Breuer’s ride, but he recovered. “I had a little bobble halfway through, but it ended all right. She shot forward, but I set a spur in her neck, and it set me up right again.”
Bareback horses, including Rustler, are smart about rodeo. “Bareback riding is a fight,” Breuer said. (The horses) are going to try to take you out of position every time, and we go back to what they call the home position,” Breuer said, which is with “your feet up in the neck, lifting on the rigging.”
It is the position cowboys are in when the horse takes its first jump out of the chute.
Breuer rodeos with his older brother, Ty, also a bareback rider. The two are currently ranked 27th and 26th, respectively, in the Windham Weaponry High Performance PRCA World Standings, and would love to move into the top fifteen, which would qualify them for the WNFR.
Ty qualified in 2013, and the brothers “are fighting, and we’ll finish strong,” Casey Breuer said. “There are a lot of big rodeos left” in the season, which ends Sept. 30. “Just stay healthy and draw good, and let the chips fall wherever they will.”
The 2015 Phillipsburg rodeo queen was announced prior to the rodeo. MaryAnn Schremmer of Phillipsburg won the crown. She is the 25 year old daughter of Anna and the late Mel Schremmer.
Other fast times and high scores for the night included steer wrestler Levi Rudd, Chelsea, Okla. (4.2 seconds); saddle bronc rider Heith DeMoss, Heflin, La. (86 points), and tie-down roper David Moore, Goodwell, Okla. (10.6 seconds).
Team ropers David Key and Martin Lucero, both of Stephenville, Texas, made a 4.2 second run to take the lead in the rodeo. Barrel racer Shelley Morgan, Canton, Texas, is leading her event with a 17.13 second run. No bull riders made the eight second buzzer.
The second night of Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, July 31, is Coors Night at the rodeo. The first 1,800 fans through the gate get a free Coors ball cap. Tickets are available at Heritage Insurance (785.543.2448) and at the arena. For more information, visit KansasBiggestRodeo.com.
Courtesy of PRCA