Viking Stampede launches rodeo season

Friday, September 21, 2007

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's Ozark Region season got under way Thursday with the Missouri Valley College "Viking Stampede" at the Saline County Fairground in Marshall. Valley barrel racer Danielle Erichsrud (above), a junior from Blue Earth, Minn., was among the dozens of student-athletes from 19 schools to participate in the three day event. The second "go" will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday, with a "slack round" at 10 a.m. Saturday and the finals on Saturday night. The season includes five rodeos before the Christmas break and five afterwards, with the top three individuals in each event qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo in June at Casper, Wyo. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News)