ALUMNI PAGE

Bethany Keller

High School Rodeo Class of 2002

I think since high school I have just rode more and more every year. I am currently running two horses at MRBRA's and local shows. When I am not at one of the two I am at some sort of roping with my boyfriend

I graduated in December with my bachelor's in elementary education and start in the fall with a new job. I am really excited and nervous. Like many others I miss high school rodeo and treasure the memories. Hope all is well with everyone.

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Anyway, I've been married to my wonderful husband Eric for almost 3 years now. I'm sure some of you know him, he worked for Swingin' Gate for a couple years. We have a 5 month old beautiful baby girl Bailey- who is the apple of our eye. We sold out of the horse business this last Nov., horses, trailer, tack, everything went. Just got tired of all that goes with it. We moved into town, which I am still getting used to, but hey the roads are the first to be plowed, gotta like that!!! I would LOVE to have a get together of some sort, I miss all of you guys.

Hello out there!
Josh Phillips here. Been keeping up w/ what’s going on here for quite a while! Just finally getting around
to posting something! Since I graduated (’98) it’s been quite a trip. Went to Illinois State for 4 years
and upon graduation I accepted a position w/ the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of USDA.
I worked in LaSalle County for a little over a year, in Stephenson County for a year and a half, in
Livingston County for 2 years and have been in Hancock County for right at a year.
In September of 2006 I married my wife Nicole. About 3 years ago she caught the roping bug as well!
I’m still roping as much as possible! Last year along w/ my Dad and a couple others, we headed down the IPRA
rodeo trail. We had a pretty good summer; I ended up 3rd in the central region heading! This was a good
thing!
We’ve been going to quite a few ropins in the last couple of years and have run into some ‘ole high school
rodeo folks. Have been in touch and running around w/ Kurt Bogner & his lovely wife, Blondie! They are
good, got a 3 year old and another on the way!
I’ve even been to a couple of high school rodeos in the past year or so as well! We went to Memphis TN
in '06 as Chaperones’ to the Metsker boys! What an interesting trip that was!
That’s about it in a nut shell! My e-mail is spindoctor@ropersonly.com
Until next time……...
Josh Phillips

This is Joni Stapleton, Doc Stapleton's wife. It's been a long time since we've posted any updates on the Alumni page, so I figured I'd send something in. Just to quickly update everyone on what's happening in our lives... We got married in 2001. We now have 3 children. We have twins, Denton and Clayton who are 3 and then we have a yearling, Houston. Anyhow, the twins were born prematurely, about 3 months early. They were diagnosed with Cerebral Palsey at the age of one. Last year, we began letting them ride horses and showing. Now they are very confident. Anyhow, we have actively been involved with Easter Seals of Central IL now for about 2 years. They are all WONDERFUL people that work there. They feel like family to us. Every year Easter Seals holds a telethon to raise money to help fund new technology and toys for children just like ours. Doc and I have very seriously been thinking about starting up our own annual fundraiser. We are thinking of having a roping fundraiser. So, that old friends can come together atleast once a year and help raise money for an awesome cause! But, we are going to need a lot of help in putting this thing together. So, anyone that has ANY ideas or that would like to help or donate something. PLEASE let me know! jonistapleton@mchsi.com By the way feel free to check out our blog for more pictures and to stay updated... djdchstapleton.blogspot.com.

10/17/06: Attention Alumni: Robert Maurer is seeking one of the award saddles with the silver cantle plate that reads "in memory of Kristi Jo Mauer". The saddles were awarded in either 2000-2001, or 2001-2002. Robert is the father of Kristi Jo, in whose memory an auction is held every year to raise money for scholarships for District 1 contestants. Anyone who desires to retire one of these saddles, is urged to contact Mr Mauer at (309) 745-9500 after 5pm on weekdays, or email RGMauer@ Cat.com..

Hey all, Christy Strader here (1999 IHSRA grad)...I never knew that this was on line. I was talking to a old rodeo buddy and they told me about this. Good idea!! Anyways, i really haven't been up to much. Kind of took a brake from riding, but now i have started back up again. For anyone that was in IHSRA the same years as me. I still have Monkey!! She is loving just being a horse. Anyways, I never thought i would say this, but i miss high school. Not so much the school part, but the rodeo's. We all had so much fun and so many good memories. Well if anyone wants to email me sometime feel free. My email address is rodeo1969@yahoo.com

As some of you may have already heard, I lost Rogaine on October 8th. I
rodeoed on him in high school part of my junior year and my senior
year.  He came with me to college in August of 2000.  I rodeoed for two
years for Fort Scott Community College in Fort Scott, Kansas.  Now I am
at Kansas State University and on the rodeo team.  This is my last year
for college eligibility.  My hauling partner started goat tying off of
him last semester and got along great so she was going to use him this
year.  They went to Pratt, Kansas for the first rodeo of the season.
Early Saturday morning the horses got out of the pen and Rogaine was
hit by a drunk driver. I may have lost the best horse this cowgirl ever
had, but God got one heck of a cow-pony to check fences on.  He was
laid to rest in the most beautiful spring calvin' pasture eyes have
ever seen.  Where the water runs cool, clear, and deep, and where there
is more calves in the spring than you can throw a rope at.  I guess the
point I am trying to make is that he will be missed very much.  If
anybody has any great memories of him, or any memories at all please
e-mail them to me so that I can put them in his scrapbook. The best way
to honor him is to remember him for who he was.  Thanks in advance for
anybody that responds.       aacooper@ksu.edu            (10-12-05)

God Bless,
Ashley Cooper
2000 IHSRA Graduate

I just came across your website. I was a bull rider and steer wrestler in 1982-1983, competing in IHSRA Rodeos in Marion , Peoria and St. Charles on a regular basis. Sadly, my career in rodeo was cut short in 1983 when I had a nasty spill with a bull at the rodeo in Marion . In any case, I am glad to see that the association is going strong and send my best wishes to the organization. Todd Owings Plainfield, IL (4-05)

Hey I am a 2002 graduate of illinois high school rodeo from district 3. I am in my second year of college and just doing local speed shows in southern illinois. I hope the best for everyone and things are still going smoothly. Brittany daab and brett mix the best of luck to you both. Jodi Jacquot (4-05)

Kelly Tunney (IHSRA 2004 GRAD) says, "Good job to all and keep up the good work!"

I hope you all have a good year. I miss high school rodeo back in Illinois but now I am In college in Texas and rodeoing here.

Take it easy bye 'yall. Tunney_01@yahoo.com (10-04)
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Hey all! Doc Stapleton here.... Just thought I'd drop everyone a line to let them know what was going on with me. I moved to Eureka Illinois about a year ago. My wife (Joni) and I had twins at about the same time, so they are a year old. Their names are Denton and Clayton. We enjoy every minute of them. Most people say that they look like me, they must because we got 2nd in "The Pantagraph" father-son look a like contest on fathers day. I have a roping horse, but haven't been roping too much lately, because I have been working A LOT.... Have to in order to buy diapers and baby food. I have been judging IJRA Rodeo's this year, and I am going to be judging their State Finals this year in Wyoming. It's been a lot of fun watching the little kids... That's about all here... (8-04)

ya all are down here visiting Stacy at Texas A&M you might as well
stop in Fort Worth on your way through and see me, cause if you were friends
with Stacy then you probably rodeo'd or were friends with me too. I sure
would love to show you what they mean when they say Texas is a whole nother
country. Well I graduated from Western Illinois University in May and am
looking forward to starting my own business soon. I haven't rodeo'd much
since I graduated from high school, but I do try to go to as many ropings as
I can. Right now it is a little hard to go to ropings when my horse is 3
states away. Anyway I have kept up on attending them by going to watch
Trevor, Cody, Joe, Fred and Strand. Its pretty neat to know that I live
really close to a lot of great rodeo athletes. Well Best of Luck in the
upcoming season. God Bless each and everyone of you!

Jackie Wolf
IHSRA Graduating Class of 2000 (8-04)

Hello everyone! Just wanted to fill you in on what is going on with me! I recently live in Martinsville, IN now I have lived here almost a year, it's really nice! I am currently not rodeoing right now just a few open shows, I am wanting to get back into rodeo! I am looking at buying a colt and training it.. I like training colts it's funner then rodeoing to me! Well its been nice talking to you! Talk to you later! Jessica Jacobs To contact me email -- cinch 27@hotmail.com (4-04)

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Congratulations to Ashley Cooper, Miss Rodeo Kansas 2004! Ashley is an IHSRA 2000 graduate!

Ashley will travel all year representing the state of Kansas, and then proceed on to compete for Miss Rodeo America at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo held in Las Vegas, NV in December 2004. We wish her much success while achieving her goals and we in Illinois are very proud her! Way to go Ashley!

I saw the page, and I thought I would let everyone know what I have been up
to. I am a 2001 IHSRA Graduate. I am currently a Junior at Illinois State
University where I am studying Animal Science. I haven't been rodeoing
lately because of time conflicts, but I have decided I'm going to start
riding again. I just wanted to let everyone know how much I miss High
School Rodeo and seeing everyone. Maybe we can talk them into having Alumni
Rodeos occasionally. Feel free to e-mail me at any time!

Breeann Werth
District #2

Contact_FullName:     Belle Smith
Contact_Organization: Ihsra District 2
Contact_Email:        belle2_100@hotmail.com
Personal_Age:         26
Personal_Sex:         Female

Comments:

This is a great place to remember all the good times I had when I was a member. I am looking forward to being a "rodeo mom" someday so I can be involved again. Thanks for having such a wonderful site to visit and thanks for all the memories

Erika Kollinger has a new email address... it is EAKollinger@aol.com just remember the EA is for Erika Anne. While Erika doesn't have much opportuntity to pick up her email right now - school starts

soon and then she will be able to go to the library and check her email. She'd love to hear from you.

Erika's homepage is now completed but check it out and keep it in
Your Favorite Places so you can check it out when it's done. (8-03)

Hi from Jackie Kollinger. here is a pix of Lisa Camp and Erika Kollinger on Erika's 20th birthday at Wrigley Field. Erika is a sophomore at Northern Illinois University.

In 2002 she lead Area 12 (northern Illinois, Iowa, and Wis. in the $2,000 Limited Rider in the National Cutting Horse Association. She has her cutting horse for sale if anybody is interested.

Lisa Camp just moved to Yorkville. Her family sold their farm and Buddy, her barrel horse, but Lisa is still involved with horses. She's breaking out a couple of horses. Lisa is going to Joliet Jr. College.

here is my homepage.... it shows the cutting horse we have for sale
hope to spend sometime down in Altamont....
good luck to all
jackie kollinger
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK

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Carl Flitz (IHSRA 1999 GRAD) recently competed in a "CINDERFELLA" contest at Pratt Community College located in Pratt, Kansas.

If you would like to contact Carl to congratulate him write to: C_FLITZ@hotmail.com