story by Ruth Nicolaus
Wyatt Kunkee has a motto: “work hard, and believe in yourself.” And that’s exactly what the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association member does.
The eighteen year old cowboy, who lives west of Eddyville, Nebraska, competes in the saddle bronc riding. He used to team rope in high school rodeo but this year is focusing on one event.
He is a senior at Callaway High School, where he loves weights class. His favorite teacher is Mr. Ellis, his seventh grade math teacher, because “he’s funny and creative,” and he made math easy.
Wyatt works at Bar J Cattle Co. in his spare time and in the summers, where he picks up bales, works cattle, fixes fence, and chops thistles. One of his favorite jobs is brandings. This spring, he’ll rope and wrestle calves at area brandings for neighbors and friends, and sometimes is hired to help. He knows that ranchers only hire people who are good workers, which means he’s a hard worker.
In his spare time, he likes to read Louis L’Amour books and watch the movie “Eight Seconds.” His favorite food is grilled steak with a baked potato and bacon bits, and his favorite snack is beef jerky.
Wyatt has seven horses, including George, his heeling horse, Pepper, his best ranch horse, Hollywood, Waldo, Hoss, Poncho and Pud. The family also has a pet dog, Zip and a cat, Carlos.
This fall, he will attend Mid-Plains Community College in North Platte, Nebraska, where he will be on the rodeo team. He will study agricultural business, and someday, would like to be a PRCA saddle bronc rider and a Nebraska rancher.
He finished the 2015-2016 rodeo season in eighth place in the saddle bronc riding, and is currently ranked in the top five in his event.
Wyatt has two younger brothers: Weston, who is sixteen, and Dalton, who is fourteen. He is the son of Dean and Angie
Kunkee.
