Minot, N.D. – Oct. 6, 2025 – The family that rodeos together, stays together.
At least that could be the case at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot, N.D.
Among the more than 100 cowboys and cowgirls scheduled to compete in this weekend’s Circuit Finals Rodeo, eleven duos are family members: the Schuelke brothers, the Shippy brothers, the Nelson brothers, the Pirrung brothers, the Sivertsen brothers, the Wray sisters, the Engesser sisters, the Zancanellas (father and daughter), the Kosels (mother and step-son), the Olsons (husband and wife), and the father-in-law/son-in-law duo of Howell and Curuchet.
For saddle bronc riding brothers Taygen Schuelke and Lane Schuelke, the pair rodeo together, traveling together most of the time. Taygen, Whitewood, S.D., enters the finals in tenth place and Lane, of Newell, S.D., in fifth.
The brothers love competing at rodeos together, Taygen said. “I enjoy it. We feed off each other, in a way.” They also work together, co-owners of a fencing company. “We see each other all the time. You’d think we’d be sick of it, but we leave work at work and go rodeoing.”
Being brothers, they are able to be honest with each other. “Lane’s blunt with me,” Taygen said. The brothers tell each other when the other isn’t riding well. “We’re dang sure in each other’s corner, when it comes to riding broncs and in life.”
The brothers’ parents, Darin and Jean Schuelke, will be in Minot to watch their sons compete.
“I don’t think they’ve missed a year,” of attending, Taygen said. They make a family vacation out of it. “We take the kids swimming, and Dad and I like to go around to the tool stores and look at tools and machinery.”
Another set of brothers will compete in Minot at the Badlands Circuit Finals.
Riggin and Riley Shippy, both of Colome, S.D., are bull riders, entering the finals in tenth place and fourth place, respectively.
They travel together as much as they can, unless injury forces one of them to stay home, Riggin said.
They can count on each other when it comes to traveling plans.
“If you have a good traveling partner,” Riley said, “that’s really all a guy needs, because I know that Riggin’s always going to come through, and whatever rodeos we enter, we’re going. Some people get traveling partners and go with them a week or two, then decide they don’t want to travel together anymore.”
They, like the Schuelkes, are also honest with each other.
“We can say the hard stuff that needs to be said sometimes, like ‘this is what you need to be doing, and (you need to) get it figured out before you start entering again,’” Riley said.
Their younger sister, Charlee, is competing in 4-H and junior high rodeo as a barrel racer, and she, along with their parents, Randy and Jennie Shippy, will make the trip to Minot to watch the men.
Charlee is “pretty into (rodeo),” Riley said. “She’s already wanting to rodeo quite a bit on her own. She’s hoping she gets to pro rodeo eventually when she gets to that age.”
The Sivertsen brothers, Lee and Landon, Ree Heights, S.D., have both qualified for the circuit finals, Lee in the tie-down roping and Landon in the steer wrestling.
The men don’t usually travel together, with being in different events, but if they’re at the same rodeo at the same time, they’ll look each other up.
This is the third Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo for both of them; they qualified in 2021 and 2024. Their parents, Randy and Sandy, usually make a weekend out of their trip to Minot. In the past, the men’s sisters, their husbands and kids have come to the rodeo, going to local restaurants and the park and the zoo.
Other family duos competing at the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo include brothers and saddle bronc riders Taylen and Gavin Nelson, Wibaux, Mont.; sisters and breakaway ropers Rickie Fanning, Martin, S.D. and Taylor Engesser, Spearfish, S.D.; sisters and breakaway ropers Danielle Wray and Makayla Wray, Ord, Neb.; brothers and team ropers Braden Pirrung and Payton Pirrung, both of Hartford, S.D.; father-in-law and son-in-law Guy Howell, and Riley Curuchet, both of Belle Fourche, S.D.; husband and wife Logan and Bobbi Olson; mother and step-son Summer Kosel, Glenham, S.D. and Wroper Kosel, Mobridge, S.D.; and father and daughter Matt Zancanella and Keylee Zancanella, Aurora, S.D.
The Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo is the culmination of the rodeo regular season.
The top twelve cowboys and cowgirls in each of eight events (bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, barrel racing and bull riding) who have won the most money over the regular season qualify to compete at the circuit finals rodeo.
The Badlands Circuit is the PRCA’s designation of contestants living in North Dakota and South Dakota. Contestants from other states may opt in.
The Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo takes place Oct. 10-12 at the N.D. State Fair Center in Minot, N.D. Shows start at 7 pm on Oct. 10-11 and at 1 pm on Oct. 12.
Tickets range in price from $25-$35. Kids general admission tickets are $12.50 (ages 2-12).
To purchase tickets, visit BadlandsCircuitFinalsRodeo.
Cutlines:
Brothers Taygen (right) and Lane Schuelke, both saddle bronc riders, will compete in Minot at the N.D. State Fair Center Oct. 10-12. Photo courtesy Taygen Schuelke.
Brothers Riggen (left) and Riley Shippy, Colome, S.D., have each qualified for the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo in Minot. They are among several duos of family members who will be at the rodeo. Photo courtesy Riggin Shippy.
Matt Zancanella and his daughter Keylee Zancanella will be in Minot this weekend for the Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo. Matt will team rope; Keylee will barrel race and breakaway rope. Photo courtesy Keylee Zancanella.
Comments