Rodeo Teams Both Capture First at Viking Stampede Rodeo
Marshall, Mo., (Sept. 21, 2025)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's rodeo teams opened their 2025-26 seasons with the Viking Stampede Rodeo at the Saline County Fairgrounds in Marshall, Mo. Both teams captured first place overall with four individual event winners in the average.
In bareback riding, the men's team was led by Senior Kooper Heimburg (San Tan Valley, Ariz.) who won the average with a 158. Heimburg won both go-rounds with rides of 77 and 81, and collected 180 points. Finishing second in the average was Sophomore Jason Wilson (Bennington, Vt.) with a 146. Wilson was second in the first go-round with a 73 and fourth in the second go-round with a 30 to earn 130 points. Sophomore Collin Roland (Childersburg, Ala.) was third in the average with a 145, after finishing fifth in the first go-round with a 66, followed by a 79 in the second go-round to finish second. Roland earned 110 points. Freshman Owen Prince (Humbodlt, Ky.) was fourth in the average with a 139 to earn 80 points, Freshman Kade Parrish (LaVelle, Wisc.) was fifth in the average with a 138 to earn 65 points, while Sophomore Judd Pope (Garnett, Kan.) was third in the second go-round with a 76 to earn 40 points, and Senior Hayden Leavell (Ozark, Ark.) was sixth in the first go-round with a 65 to earn 10 points.
Also for the men's team, Pope was first in the saddle bronc riding average with a 145. Pope won the first go-round with a 76 and was second in the second go-round with a 69, and earned 170 points. Sophomore Treg Huver (Nashville, Mich.) was second in the average with a 143, after finishing second in the first go-round with a 66 and first in the second go-round with a 77. Huver earned 160 points. Freshman Creek Caldwell (Bainbridge, Ind.) was third in the second go-round with a 66 to earn 40 points and Junior Walker McAbee (Woodruff, S.C.) was fourth in the second go-round with a 56 to earn 30 points.
On the women's side, Sophomore Codie Vaughn (Searcy, Ark.) was first in the breakaway roping average with a 7.0. Vaughn was sixth in the first go-round with a 3.5, then won the second go-round with a 3.5 to earn 130 points. Freshman Addy Derr (Paola, Kan.) was first in the goat tying average with a 13.7. Derr was second in the first go-round with a 7.2 and won the second go-round with a 6.5 to earn 165 points. Sophomore Kate Brisbane (Kearney, Mo.) was second in the goat tying average with a 14.3. Brisbane was sixth in the first go-round with a 7.6 and was second in the second go-round with a 6.7 to earn 102.5 points. Freshman Jolene Rhyne (Craig, Colo.) was third in the goat tying average with a 14.4. Rhyne was fifth in the first go-round with a 7.5 and third in the second go-round with a 6.9 to earn 100 points. Also, Senior Grace Waldenberger (Holmen, Wisc.) was fourth in the average with a 14.7, which included first place in the first go-round with a 6.9. Waldenberger earned 95 points.
The men's rodeo team finished first in the standings with 630 points. East Mississippi was second with 595 points. The women's rodeo team finished first overall with a 267.5. Murray State (Ky.) was second with 215 points.
Up next, the rodeo teams will compete at the West Alabama rodeo in Livingston, Ala., Thursday through Saturday.
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About Missouri Valley College
Standing out as one of the most innovative and student-focused liberal arts colleges in the Midwest, Missouri Valley College (MVC) is committed to preparing students for success beyond the classroom. Through the Viking Voyage program, MVC prioritizes career readiness from day one, equipping students with the knowledge and skills needed to excel after graduation. Each of MVC's 30+ in-demand majors—including nursing, business, cybersecurity, computer science, criminal justice, and exercise science—integrates personal instruction, experiential learning, and professional opportunities to prepare graduates to thrive in a rapidly changing and globally connected world. At Missouri Valley College, higher education is more than earning a degree—it's a transformative journey that begins with the end.