McKenzie County Farmer - Sports

By Robin Wark

Cartwright’s Jim Roedeske transferred to Colorado’s Otero Junior College with the intention of furthering his steer wrestling career.
That plan certainly seems to be working well for the son of Fred and Laurie Roedeske. In March, at Eastern Wyoming College’s rodeo in Torrington, Roedeske won the steer wrestling competition and earned a top-10 finish in tie-down roping.
As of March 31, the Watford City high school grad sat fourth in the Central Rocky Mountain Region’s steer wrestling standings. The top three in the region qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo. in June. Roedeske, who also team ropes, sits 13th in the region’s tie-down roping standings.
“He is a strong competitor and works hard with all of his disciplines,” wrote OJC rodeo coach Linsay Rosser-Sumpter in an e-mail interview. “He is a hard worker and is very consistent. He has all the qualities that I am looking for in a student-athlete.”
Roedeske has been very pleased with his move to the La Junta school. Rosser-Sumpter was a CNFR competitor for California Polytechnic State University and grew up around the sport with her family’s Flying U Rodeo Company.
Her husband, Wade Sumpter, is a National Finals Rodeo steer wrestler whom Roedeske said has helped him quite a bit. Sumpter has qualified for four NFRs, and in 2010, the horse he co-owns with fellow NFR competitor, Ken Lewis, was named the Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year. NFR steer wrestler Jace Honey is also based in La Junta. The community has a population of 7,568, according to the 2000 U.S. Census, and is located on the Arkansas River. It is known for being the birthplace of Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame bull rider Lane Frost, whose life the movie “8 Seconds” was based on.
“I like the weather here,” Roedeske wrote in an e-mail interview. “We have an opportunity to practice pretty much every day. It stays sunny, and the winters are very mild.”
Roedeske first got into rodeo in high school, he said. He earned the right to compete for three years at the National High School Finals Rodeo. Roedeske said his family has had the most impact on his career as they have supported him in everything he has done.
“They have been there to open the chute, go to rodeos, and cheer me on every time I go to a rodeo,” he wrote of his parents.
How he grew up impacted Roedeske’s educational choices. He earned an associate’s degree in agri-business from Casper Community College in Wyoming. This year he will receive an agri-business certificate from Otero.
“I was raised in a ranch family and I would like to stay in the agriculture industry as a career,” Roedeske wrote.
While it will be his lone season at OJC, the squad has been happy to have him around. His ability to score points in three events has certainly been appreciated. As well, Roedeske always seems to be there to lend a hand when needed.
“I call him my ‘silent wonder!’ He is not a man of many words, but he is always there to help with anything that I, or the team, might need,” Rosser-Sumpter wrote. “I have been very lucky to have him on my team this year!”