By Con Marshall-Chadron State College

Two Nebraska cowboys were riding high in their events on the professional rodeo circuit as of March 1. Garrett Shadbolt of Merriman was third in the bareback riding standing and Riley Pruitt of Gering was sixth in tie down roping.

Shadbolt has already won $42,636 so far in the 2025 season. One of his big wins was at Rodeo Rapid City in early February, when he was first with an 88.5-point ride on a bronc named Mt. Deal owned by Muddy Creek Rodeo of Scenic, S.D.  He received the biggest paycheck of the entire rodeo, $5,570.

Shadbolt also earned $5,500 while winning the averages at the New Year’s Eve rodeo at Gillette, Wyo. The judges awarded him 88 and 86.5 points for those 8-second rides.

The Merriman cowboy also picked up paychecks totaling $9,250 at the National Western Rodeo in Denver in January. The largest chunk, some $5,100, was for an 87-point ride on a horse named Assailant.

Shadbolt also won nearly $12,000 while sticking four broncs at the San Antonio Rodeo, which ran for three weeks in February. The highlight was an 89-point ride on Exactly Midnight. In addition, this past weekend, he was bareback winner at Rodeo Grand Island while scoring 86.5 points on Fancy Street.  good for $1,841.

Through March 1, Pruitt was credited with $31,642 and was sixth in the tie down standings.  

Pruitt won about $13,000 at the National Western in Denver while catching and tying four calves, two of them in 7.5 seconds each. In addition, he earned $7,000 on three runs in San Antonio, including a super-fast 7.30-second clocking.