by Ruth Nicolaus
Will Thiele sits atop the tie-down roping standings for the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association.
The Atkinson, Nebraska cowboy works hard at whatever task is at hand: school, his job, and, his favorite, roping.
For the tie-down roping, he rides an eighteen-year-old yellow gelding named Yeller. He also competes in the team roping, as a header for Maddie Doerr, and for that event, he rides Rowdy, a horse borrowed from the Doerrs.
He is a senior at West Holt High School in Atkinson, where his favorite classes are weight lifting and construction class. His favorite teacher is Mrs. Wallinger, his English teacher. She’s creative, and she keeps instruction fun.
Will wrestled for three years of his high school career, is a member of the National Honor Society, FFA, and is on the Superintendent’s Honor Roll.
He also works to support his rodeo “habit.” His parents pay for part of the feed for the horse, but entry fees, ropes and tack add up. Will does some construction work, helping with remodeling, and in the summer, works in the hayfield.
For fun, he enjoys sketching cartoons, watching movies (his favorite is “A River Runs Through It,”) and reading. He likes books that stress mental toughness, including The Inner Game of Tennis and Mind Gym.
He credits three cowboys with helping him be a better roper: Miles Garwood, Cole Tierney and Ray Brown. “Miles taught me how to rope,” Will said, “Cole taught me how to have fun roping, and Ray taught me how to win.”
This fall, he plans on rodeoing collegiately, and would like to get a four-year degree in business, entrepreneurship, or marketing. He has two older sisters: Shaely and Jessica, a younger brother, Ben, and a younger sister, Abigail. He is the son of Ted and Colleen
Thiele.
