ProRodeo Sports News - April 20, 2018

DOUBLE DUTY

PARKER KEMPFER • Age: 22 • Hometown: Melbourne, Fla. • College: Sam Houston State University

• Major: Agricultural business, minoring in animal science • Joined PRCA: Jan. 4, 2016

• Currently ranked first in the national college standings for saddle bronc riding and 10th in the RAM Rodeo Permit Standings ZACH JONGBLOED • Age: 19 • Hometown: Iowa, La. • College: McNeese State University • Major: Business administration • Joined PRCA: Rookie year started Sept. 1, 2017, started his permit Oct. 7, 2016 • Currently ranked 13th in the national college standings for tie-down roping and all-around, seventh in college steer wrestling; ranked first in the Resistol Rookie Standings for steer wrestling and fourth for

Zach Jongbloed is leading the PRCA Resistol Rookie Standings for steer wrestling and is fourth for tie-down roping. He’s also among the top college competitors. Photo courtesy Zach Jongbloed

feel that gets you pumped up to be at that level. I feel you ride at the level you are around and competing with, that’s why I love ProRodeos – to try and ride to that level.” Hibler had similar thoughts on the transition to higher levels of competition. “It was a great stepping stone for straight out of high school to not get on absolute buckers every weekend,” Hibler said. “At school, we had practice horses and a gym there to get stronger and ride the spur board and practice horses. It just excelled my riding percentage. Everything got better in college. I didn’t have horses at home to get on, so at school everything excelled from there.” Kempfer competes in the Southeastern Circuit on the ProRodeo level while focusing on the Texas area in college rodeo. “It’s a lot of driving,” Kempfer said. “We’ll do a college rodeo, drive to the Southeastern Circuit and then back for the college rodeo, and that makes for some sleepless weekends.” Kempfer’s family ranches and is part of the Silver Spurs Club in Kissimmee, Fla., but he wasn’t allowed to ride broncs until he was 18 years old due to high school football. “They can’t stop you once you turn that age,” Kempfer laughed. “I was only joking, they are my biggest supporters. Dad helped me get started and with the right people to figure out what I’m supposed to do.” Hibler’s family wasn’t involved in rodeo. He went to his first rodeo at 15 when his grandpa’s band performed at one. A week later, he was competing in bareback riding. “It was a pretty rough first go at it, and that’s what set me on fire,” Hibler said. “I wanted to be the best at it.” Jongbloed’s uncles competed at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo multiple times – Jeff Corbello (1998, 2003, 2005) and Joey Roberts (1989, 1991) – and they help him practice his bulldogging while his travel partner Jade Conner helps with tie-down roping. “I was always told you’re at a rodeo and the cheapest thing is the entry fees, so you might as well compete,” Jongbloed said. “I really like both events, they really fit me.” Competing in multiple events means needing multiple horses, and Jongbloed has seven. On the academic level, Kempfer’s planning on earning his master’s degree in agricultural science and then working in the ranching industry. “It’s hard to pass an opportunity to get my master’s if it’s paid for,” Kempfer said. “There’s not much more I want to do than get on bucking horses.” Jongbloed plans on owning a business someday but hasn’t decided on the details yet. Hibler already has that ball rolling. He runs his own landscaping business, in addition to his college and rodeo commitments. “My family helps me a lot with the working aspect and they stay on top of me to keep school up and I have good traveling partners,” Hibler said. “Jake Brown is great to have. He knows how to plan everything perfectly, so I have a great support group of people to push me to be better.”

tie-down roping ZACH HIBLER • Age: 21 • Hometown: Wheeler, Texas • College: Hill College • Major: Earned a landscaping degree at Western Texas College in Snyder, Texas; studying

agricultural business at Hill College • Joined PRCA: Started his permit in February 2015, started his Rookie Card in September 2017 • Currently ranked second in the national college standings for bareback riding and first in the Resistol Rookie Standings for bareback riding

ProRodeo Sports News 4/20/18

ProRodeo.com

45