CASPER, Wyo. – The exceptional run by Chadron State College barrel racer Amy Diechert (Die-kirt) of Spearfish, S.D., didn’t end in the way she had hoped at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, but as her coach, Dustin Luper, noted, “that’s rodeo.”
After the three go-rounds during the week, Diechert entered the championship performance Saturday night in third place among the rodeo’s 47 barrel racers, but she tipped over the second barrel, knocking her out of contention for the title.
“I’m awfully proud of her,” Luper said. “She had three outstanding runs. She’s just a freshman and I know she’ll work hard to try to get back to the national rodeo again. I’m sure she’s going to have a great career.”
For the second year in a row, the national champion barrel racer is Liz Combs of Sam Houston State in Texas. She had the lead entering the Saturday night’s finals and put an explanation point on her latest championship with a time of 13.91 seconds, the best of the performance.
Another Texas cowgirl, Haley Nelson of Texas Tech, finished as the reserve champion.
Combs’ total time on four runs was 56.47 seconds, while Nelson’s was 56.88.
—Con Marshall
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