As quickly as rodeo events move, spectators seeking to spot Colorado Northwestern Community College entrants during the 2021-22 season could ill afford to take their eyes off the action.
Even at the school’s own Spartan Showdown on April 1-2, and for a simple reason:
Only two individuals were suited and booted.
But there’s good news heading head coach Tammy Olson’s way: If both Sadie Shake of Buena Vista and Hadley Gross of Lyman, Wyoming, return for the 2022-23 grind, she’ll have three to oversee. For Thursday morning, Ignacio High senior Kourtney Schurman put pen to paper and inked a letter of intent to ride in Rangely.
Observed by parents Robert and Yvonne, older brother Keegan, IHS Athletic Director Leo Garand, IHS Dean of Students Alfonso Garcia and no fewer than a half-dozen of her closest friends and classmates, she had to grin when admitting she initially forgot to sign her surname’s silent “c.” CNCC, stoked to have another commit, could certainly spot her one if needed.
“Ever since I was little, since I was like, two or three – that’s when we started to go to junior rodeos,” she recalled. “And I started high school rodeoing my eighth grade year so …. I’m really excited to be on their team!”
A member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado Northwestern could thank a rival for building a bridge of communication between La Plata and Rio Blanco counties, eventually connecting Schurman with the Spartans.
“The (Colorado) Mesa (University) coach contacted us and said Rangely had a new rodeo coach,” she said. “We called them, asking if they were looking for anybody – and they said that they’d love to have me!”
“And I want to be a dental hygienist,” she said, noting a probable academic pursuit. “Two years of good school, it’s a good, steady job …. I just thought it would be pretty good for me.”
After 2021-22 regular-season work wrapped up April 15-16 at Utah Valley University’s rodeo held in Spanish Fork, Utah, Colorado Northwestern’s women ranked sixth out of 10 squads with 440 points, Idaho State University (3,060) and UVU (2,720) led the lot.
After missing the short go in barrel racing by one place, Gross ended up eighth while Shake tied for 14th as both fell short of qualifying for the 2022 College National Finals Rodeo, June 12-18 in Casper, Wyoming.
Finalizing her decision barely a day before the Colorado State High School Rodeo Association’s Southeast Colorado All-Stars Rodeo on Friday through Sunday in Lamar, Schurman at the time stood tied with several others for 23rd place in barrels and 14th in goat tying (Rhiley and Quincy Morgan-Montoya of Hesperus were 1-2).
Not too shabby, but not nearly on her own level in breakaway roping.
Upon arrival at the Prowers County Fairgrounds, Schurman ranked third in the specialty with 39 points, trailing two-time National High School Finals Rodeo veteran Emma Magee (42) of Byers and 2021 NJHFR All-Around Cowgirl Cassidy Evans (53) of Fort Supply, Oklahoma.
“I’m very pleased with how I’m doing,” Schurman said. “Hopefully I can just keep it up and stay where I am.”
A NHSFR qualifier last year in the event, Ignacio’s Teryn McWhirter stood a close fifth with 33 points. And with stops in Craig and Greeley still remaining before the CSHSRA Finals in Craig, May 26-30 at the Moffat County Fairgrounds, Schurman and McWhirter will push each other for top-four status at season’s end, rewarded by entry into this summer’s nationals July 17-23 in Gillette, Wyoming.
“That’s my cousin … I compete against,” said Schurman, “and it’s fun; we make it fun. Our main goal is just to get to every single (rodeo), because if we don’t we could fall behind. So we’re going to try to go to every single one of them.”
Saddled atop mare “K.B.” when running barrels, and mare “Cayenne” for goats, Schurman admitted her competition connection is probably best with breakaway mount “Durfey,” an 18-year-old sorrel gelding.
“I got Durfey … a year or two years ago, so he’s pretty new,” she said. “I’ve had Cayenne ever since I was little; that was my dad’s horse … she’s around, like, 18. I work with them all pretty well (all three will accompany her to CNCC), but me and my regular horse definitely have a bond because we’ve got there together. He’s very special to me.”
Schurman’s delivery to Olson of her hard-earned document will be just as, if not more special.
“I’m going to bring it to her,” she said with a grin. “She’s super-sweet; I talked to her on the phone, and I’m going to meet her in Craig when we go up there. Pretty exciting!”
