Hump at top of region’s saddle bronc standings

Dalton Hump is the top saddle bronc rider in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Great Plains Region so far this season.

Hump, a telecommunications student at Mitchell Technical Institute and a member of the MTI Mavericks rodeo team, won the saddle bronc riding competition at the North Dakota State University Rodeo on Oct. 15 in Fargo.

NDSU also hosted a rodeo Oct. 14, when Hump placed fourth in the event.

The two finishes concluded the Mavericks fall season, which consisted of four rodeos. In the NIRA’s region standings, Hump has accumulated 468 points in the saddle bronc riding competition. That puts him 43 points ahead of the second-place rider.

“I figured once he did so well, I was kind of suspecting that he’d end up number one for now,” MTI Mavericks coach Jimmie Nicolaus said.

Hump’s top spot in the standings could be challenged by a number of riders who still have rodeos left this fall, though.

“He’s got a pretty good chance of holding that spot, I think,” Nicolaus said.

The Mavericks will compete in six rodeos in the spring beginning the last weekend in March. After the spring season, the top three finishers in each event in the region advance to the National Finals Rodeo next year in Casper, Wyo.

“If he can hang onto that spot, we’re going to be waving some flags in the air and be real excited,” Nicolaus said.

Ryan Harris also competed for the Mavericks in the NDSU rodeos. Harris tied for third on the second day of the rodeo in the team roping event. He is currently in fifth place in the team roping in the Great Plains Region standings.

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