story by Ruth Nicolaus
Trey Seevers is in his last few months as a member of the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association. The Cairo, Nebraska resident competes in both the bareback riding and saddle bronc riding. He used to rope and steer wrestle, but during his freshman year, decided to switch events.
The cowboy is a senior at Centura High School, where his favorite class is graphic design. He never expected to enjoy a class that includes “art”, but it’s been fun. One of the class projects is to design a logo to be painted on a ceiling tile at the school. Trey’s logo is a cowboy hat with a rowel on it, and the quote “a cowboy isn’t born, he’s made” all in teal blue.
He competed in wrestling but has never wrestled a full year, due to injuries. Four years ago, he cut his hand in a table saw. As a sophomore, he broke his ankle in the third meet of the year. Last year, due to shoulder problems, the doctor told him he probably shouldn’t wrestle, and he tried, but the pain was so bad he had to quit. Trey had shoulder surgery in early December, and was released to participate in February, but it was too late for the rest of the season.
He likes to fish and hunt, and after school, rides colts, which “takes your mind off the school day,” he said. He also works at a welding business after school, where he enjoys welding 120 lb. panels.
Trey’s favorite trip was to the National High School Finals Rodeo last year, when he and his good friend Marshall Still drove together. Their parents drove in a separate vehicle, and the boys enjoyed the trip out there. They entertained themselves by “playing DJ the whole way there and back,” Trey said. They listened to everything: rock, old country, new country, rap, and Trey reports that Marshall is the better singer of the two. They did some sightseeing in Wyoming, visiting Crazy Woman Canyon and seeing coal mines for the first time. They loved hiking through the canyon.
Trey and Marshall had a unique start to their friendship. As eighth graders, they got into a fight and didn’t speak for a year. Then they became good friends, and they don’t bring up the disagreement.
Trey is the 2018 recipient of the Neil Drake Memorial Bareback Award, which includes a new bareback rigging, his entry fees paid for the remainder of the high school rodeo year, and a $500 scholarship to the school of his choice.
He has been offered a scholarship to rodeo at Ft. Scott (Kansas) Community College, where he will compete on the rodeo team in both of his events and where he will study criminal justice. After graduation, he’d like to attend the state patrol academy and become a state patrolman.
Trey has competed at state finals the last three years and at Nationals his sophomore and junior years.
He has a younger brother, Colten, who is 15. He is the son of Becky Seevers and Kevin Seevers.