Sara Stadem | Editor
Kaycee Wilking, a Crooks native, has remained busy over the years with her blue roan gelding, Barney, improving their rodeo skills together in hopes to compete a few more years before hanging it up. This led to Wilking competing at the 2021 Rope for the Crown in Las Vegas.
Riding since before she could walk, Wilking entered her first rodeo at the young age of 12 years old. “I had wanted to complete in rodeos as long as I can remember,” Wilking said. “My parents started taking my brother, sister and I to horse shows, local playdays and jackpots until we were old enough to be in 4-H. Once we were in 4-H they started entering us in 4-H rodeos and that progressed into high school (Tri-Valley), college (SDSU) and amateur rodeos.”
Over the years, Wilking has competed in several different events. During 4-H and high school, she competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, team roping and breakaway roping. Once she transitioned into riding during college, Wilking focused on the roping events, she explained.
Currently, Wilking competes mainly in breakaway rope and team rope events and is looking forward to getting back into barrel racing now that her daughter is starting to compete.
Wilking, a mother of two to son Destry (10 years old) and daughter Rehme (8 years old), she has decreased the number of rodeos she competes at throughout the year as her children are getting older. “The number of rodeos that I compete at has decreased quite a bit now that my kids are starting to be able to enter and we are taking them to 4-H and youth rodeo,” Wilking said. “I only competed in about 10 this year.”
That’s all that it took for first time qualifier Wilking to qualify for the Rope for the Crown event. Wilking qualified at the MRA (Minnesota Rodeo Association) during her rodeo season which usually starts about April or May and goes through October.
Wilking explained the MRA opened their borders which means one can be from another state and compete in their rodeos and finals. “There are many South Dakota participants in the MRA, especially those that live closer to the borders because the travel is not as far as competing at the South Dakota Rodeos,” Wilking said. “I have been a member for the last 12 years.”
The Rope for the Crown event was three rounds and a short round, according to Wilking. She continued to explain in the event, you need to catch three calves and be in the top 15 average times to qualify for the short round. “I caught my first two and missed my third,” Wilking said. She continued, “So, I didn’t make the short round. The experience itself was great and not one I will ever forget.”
The event was held at the Core Arena, just outside the Plaza Hotel, which is where Wilking stayed for the event. “Just the thought of riding my horse a couple blocks away from the famous Fremont Street almost seems unreal,” she said.
When asked what it meant to her to qualify for the event, Wilking said, “I knew this would be one of the last years that I would be able to go to rodeos and compete because my kids are at the age where they need to spend more time in the arena and less on the road.” She continued, “So, at the beginning of the season I set a goal to win the MRA Finals, not realizing that achieving that goal would also provide me with this opportunity.”
“To me, having qualified and participated in the Rope for the Crown event was almost like a reassurance that I made the right decision at the right time,” Wilking explained. “I have done what I set out to do this year and then some. Now it is time for a break from regular competition and new adventures in watching my kids succeed.”
The highlight of the event for Wilking was getting to compete against the top ropers in the nation with many of the qualifiers competing at the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) in Breakaway roping.
Wilking said, “I would like to thank my parents (Steve and Deb Klein) for all they have done over the years to help me pursue my rodeo career, for putting a rope in my hand and raising some outstanding horses.” She concluded, “I would also like to thank Chuck Nelson for letting me grow up in his arena and never letting us underestimate the importance of a big loop.”