story by Ruth Nicolaus
Kasten Ruether is the reigning Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association saddle bronc steer rider.
The Beaver Crossing cowboy, who is thirteen, also placed second in the average in the team roping at state finals last summer.
Now he’s in the eighth grade, and competes not only in the saddle broncs, but in the bareback steer riding, breakaway roping, team roping (heading for Logan Lindsley), goat tying, and bull riding.
For the timed events, he rides a twelve-year-old palomino gelding named Gunner who is faster than his previous horse, Sassy. (Sassy has been advanced to his younger brother.) Gunner is a new acquisition by the family, is super broke, Kasten reports, and does what is asked of him.
Kasten is an eighth grade student at St. Paul Lutheran School in Utica, where he enjoys learning about American wars and likes P.E. class. He participates in football, wrestling, track and baseball.
For the cowboy, wrestling and rodeo are his two favorites. In wrestling, he qualified for the state junior high tournament, held in Grand Island, in the 95 lb. division.
For fun, he likes to rope with his dad in their arena, rope the dummy, and hang out with his friends. He and his friends can be found at the Utica swimming pool in the summer, or, during the school year, playing football and attending school sports events.
Earlier this fall, Kasten sold a three-year-old horse, Nip, at the Pitzer Ranch Sale, held in Ericson. He started Nip, who, at first, wanted to run off and wasn’t nice to ride, but who, by sale date, “was coming along.” He’ll save his money for his dream truck: a Chevy 2020 or a Dodge 3500 dually, gray or white.
When he grows up, he would like to be a PRCA team roper or saddle bronc rider, and own a cattle ranch in the Nebraska Sandhills.
At state finals, he not only finished as co-champion this past summer, but ended up second in the team roping. As for the saddle bronc steer riding, Nationals didn’t go as he planned. In the first round, he didn’t mark his steer out, and in the second round, the steer took three hops and launched Kasten over his head. But he has the right attitude: “I’m still learning,” he said.
At Nationals, he had fun with his friends, running around on a golf cart decorated with LED lights and a Husker flag. Nationals “was the funnest thing I did the entire summer.”
Kasten has two sisters: Samara, age sixteen, and Aislyn, seven, and a brother, Leyton, who is eight. The family also has a pet dachshund, Augie.
He is the son of Jason and Stephanie Ruether.
