Corey Maier Earns Big Check on Final Night

by Jim Bainbridge | Jun 22, 2014
By Ruth Nicolaus/for the Buffalo Bill Rodeo

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – The first weekend of NebraskalandDays wrapped up with four nights of the Buffalo Bill Rodeo. Champions were crowned and custom buckles were ordered, with the names engraved of 2014 champions.

In the bull riding, Corey Maier scored 85 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo Company’s No. 980 to win the title and $3,512. The 29-year-old cowboy has been a PRCA member since 2006, and had never seen bull 980 buck.

“Actually, sometimes it’s a little easier,” Maier said. “You just do the basic things, and when you’re in the arena, then you go to reacting. If you’ve seen a bull 20 times, and he turns to the right every time, he might go to the left. You never know.”

Actually, Maier had a game plan: “to stay on,” he said with a laugh.

“Right at the end there, my hand came out of my rope, and I didn’t have any leverage to pick up on. He blew me out of there, and I ended up landing on my back and my shoulder.”

Bullfighters Andy Burelle and Quirt Hunt stepped in to help: “They did a great job of helping pick the bull off and saved me from getting hurt.”

Maier’s older brother, Ardie, and younger brother, Rorey, also rode on the final night, but did not score. The three brothers travel together and competed at the Reno (Nev.) Xtreme Bulls and in Pleasant Grove, Utah, before coming to North Platte.

Next week, they’ll ride in Reno, Nev., Clear Lake, S.D., Dickinson, N.D., and then the busy rodeo season begins. “For the Fourth of July run, we’ll be all over.”

Other champions at the $90,854 rodeo were bareback riders Orin Larsen, Seth Hardwick, and Jerad Schlegel, steer wrestler Trell Etbauer, tie-down roper Cade Swor, team ropers Ty Blasingame and J.W. Borrego, saddle bronc rider Bryce Nelson, and barrel racer Christy Loflin.

Courtesy of PRCA