Sierra Hilgenkamp Of Sheridan College Rodeo Team Grabs CNFR Spot Thanks To Late Season Surge

One Sheridan College cowgirl took care of business quickly and in the last 2 weeks, she managed to lasso herself a spot in the College National Finals Rodeo.

Sierra Hilgenkamp of Wall, South Dakota, will head to Casper in June to compete in the breakaway roping event.

Cowboys and cowgirls earn points based on which place they finish in, at each of the 10 rodeo events during the season.

The top 3 in the Central Rocky Mountain Region at the end of the season, qualify for the CNFR.

With 2 rodeos to go in the season, Hilkenkamp was not ranked in the top 15, but she got it in gear, by winning at Casper College, and placed 2nd at the University of Wyoming, which in turn, rocketed her up the standings to #2.

She says it all came down to her final run at UW.

“I had nothing to lose, but everything to gain, is kind of what I rode into the box with that kind of mentality, and I didn’t feel the nerve getting ready to rope and I think a lot of that was because I was still in control in that moment, because I was in control of how I roped and the run I put together, and I roped my calf, I was another 2.4, it was a good run and I was very happy with it and I ride out and as soon as I got done roping, that’s when I started to feel the pressure and the nerves, because then I didn’t have control after that. I just had to let things go the way they were supposed to go.”

This year’s is Hilkenkamp’s 4th and final year in college rodeo.