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Platteville's Heer ropes first trip to national rodeo finals
Heer
Plattevilles Garret Heer (left) and partner Nicholas Pelke of Mondovi finished third in team roping at the Wisconsin High School Rodeo State Finals two weekends ago to earn a trip to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette, Wyom. July 1724.
nobyline
Updated: Jun 29, 2016, 2:49 PM
Published: Jun 29, 2016, 2:57 PM

RICHLAND CENTER — Platteville’s Garret Heer and roping partner Nicholas Pelke of Mondovi punched their tickets to the National High School Finals Rodeo with a third-place finish in the team roping event at the 57th annual Wisconsin High School Rodeo State finals two weekends ago at the Richland County Fairgrounds June 17–19.

The the rain-plagued three-day state finals culminated the year-long competition that began last fall. Contestants competed in 15 events at the state finals with the top four in each event qualifying for the NHSFR, that will be held July 17–23 in Gillette, Wyo.

Heer and Pelke finished third in the season-long team roping competition behind Garrett Sommer (Stetsonville, Minn.) and Cory Ward (Mabel, Minn.), and Morgan Chappell of Boscobel and Sam Martin of Zwingle, Iowa. This will be Heer’s first trip to the national finals.

Out-of-state contestants carried away the top honors at the state finals. Martin, a senior from Zwingle, Iowa, earned All-Around Cowboy honors and Emma Snow, a senior from La Crescent, Minn., topped the All-Around Cowgirl competition. Kelsey Hallin, a sophomore from Cary, Ill., was named the Wisconsin High School Rodeo Queen.

Martin, who won the saddle bronc competition and placed in other events, amassed 870.5 points to outdistance Layton Laffin, who had 769.33. Laffin, a senior from Wausau, became the Reserve All-Around Cowboy for the second year in a row.

Snow won the pole bending competition and totaled 939 points. She edged out Jessie Schreiner, a junior from Antigo, who had 661. Schreiner, who was the defending All-Around Cowgirl, became the 2016 Reserve All-Around.

Hallin was chosen the Rodeo Queen from three candidates who were seeking to succeed Rylee Dressler of Dodgeville.

Other area contestants who earned berths on the Wisconsin Team going to the Nationals included Sarah Keller of Boscobel and Richland Center High School; Kolten Achenbach of Richland Center; Colton Clary and Stetson Clary of Lone Rock, who attend Ithaca High School; Valerie Laue of Richland Center, who attends Ithaca High School, Callie Quale of Lancaster; Tanner Bassett of Boscobel; and Bridgette Myers of Bagley.

57th Annual Wisconsin High School State Finals Rodeo
(from June 17–19 @ Richland Center)
Event results:
Small Bore Rifle Shooting: 1. Sarah Keller, Boscobel, 2. Matthew Boettcher, Custer, 3. Callie Quale, Lancaster, 4. Reece Fernholz, Arcadia, 5. Kyler Buros, Viroqua.
Trap Shooting: 1. Naomi Volkmann, Rhinelander, 2. Reece Fernholz, Arcadia, 3. Mason Gukenberger, Marshfield, 4. Megan Rowe, West Salem.
Bareback Bronc Riding: 1. Colton Clary, Lone Rock, 2. Stetson Clary, Lone Rock, 3. Jasper Dunn, Whitehall.
Breakaway Calf Roping: 1. Ally Bushendorf, Eau Claire, 2. Brittney Stein, Cassville, 3. Morgan Chappell, Boscobel, 4. Kirsten Pape, 5. Rylee Dressler, Dodgeville.
Tie Down Roping: 1. Garrett Sommer, Stetsonville, 2. Layton Laffin, Wausau, 3. Cody Ward, Mabel, MN, 4. Matthew Boettcher, Custer, 5. Sam Martin, Zwingle, IA.
Goat Tying: 1. Bridgette Myers, Bagley, 2. Jessie Schreiner, Antigo, 3. JayCee Bush, Black River Falls, 4. Nora Hestetune, Cashton, 5. Cassandra Chism, Merrill.
Saddle Bronc Riding: 1. Sam Martin, Zwingle, IA, 2. Tanner Bassett, Boscobel; 3. Jasper Dunn, Whitehall.
Pole Bending: 1. Emma Snow, La Crescent, MN, 2. Bridgette Myers, Bagley, 3. Callie Qualle, Lancaster, 4. Tie, Allison Burgau, Black River Falls and Jessica Newlun, La Farge.
Team Roping: 1. Garrett Sommer, Stetsonville and Cody Ward, Mabel, MN, 2. Morgan Chappell, Boscobel, and Sam Martin, Zwingle, IA, 3. Garret Heer, Platteville, and Nicholas Pelke, Mondovi, 4. Tie, Cassandra Chism, Merrill, Jessie Schreiner, Antigo, Mason Gukenberger, Marshfield, and Matthew Boettcher, Custer.
Girls Cutting: 1. Klarissa Neff, Gratiot, 2. Jessie Schreiner, Antigo, 3. Tie, Valerie Laue, Richland Center, and Rylee Dressler, Dodgeville, 5. Tie, Grace Neff, Gratiot, and Kirsten Pape.
Boys Cutting: 1. Tie, Mason Gukenberger, Marshfield, and Mathew Schultz, Oconomowoc, 3. Layton Laffin, Wausau, 4. Sam Martin, Zwingle, IA.
Steer Wrestling: 1. Layton Laffin, Wausau, 2. Dalton Mikkelson, Viroqua, 3. Tanner Bassett, Boscobel, 4. Tie, Austin Bown, Arcadia, and Matthew Boettcher, Custer.
Bull Riding: 1. Austin Poeschel, Mondovi, 2. Dillon Larson, Mondovi, 3. Kolten Achenbach, Richland Center, 4. Nick Pelke, Mondovi, 5. Tie, Colton Clary, Lone Rock, and Cole Johnson, Belmont.
Barrel Racing: 1. Jessica Newlun, La Farge, 2. Emma Snow, La Crescent, MN, 3. Morgan Chappell, Boscobel, 4. Morgan Rud, Mondovi, 5. Ally Bushendorf, Eau Claire.
Reined Cow Horse: 1. Matthew Schultz, Oconomowoc, 2. Kirsten Pape, 3. Emma Snow, La Crescent, MN, 4. Sam Martin, Zwingle, IA, 5. Mason Gukenberger, Marshfield.
Remembering Brooksie
Brooks Tiedeman (2001–2023)
Brooks Tiedeman
This image shows Brooks Tiedeman (right) the way he is remember, with fellow Bentonite's and lifelong friends, radiated by his unbridled enthusiasm. Baseball has a way of uniting people of all ages, and many in Southwest Wisconsin will treasure his memory.
Updated: Aug 7, 2024, 7:54 PM
Published: Aug 7, 2024, 7:55 PM

By Tommy Behrens

SHULLSBURG — If you roll into the town of Shullsburg on a Sunday during the summer there is a chance that you could have the opportunity to watch some Home Talent Baseball. 

Shullsburg-Benton is one of the 42 teams in the Home Talent League and the 2023 season was one of the Fevers’ best years (12-4) in their 11-year existence. One of the biggest factors for their success was the outstanding team defense that was played behind our defensive MVP Brooks Tiedeman. 

Assistant manager Tommy Behrens coached Tiedeman for three years in high school and then played alongside him on the Fever since 2019. 

“No offense to any of the other outfielders I have played with, but Brooksie was the best defensive talent I have ever been around,” Behrens said. “His ability to make extremely tough plays look routine left many of us at a loss for words. His speed was always there; however, his experience and knowledge of the game grew to a point where he was a huge weapon for us.” 

Additionally, during the 2023 season, Tiedeman had a perfect fielding percentage in 32 attempts with two outfield assists on top of it. Unfortunately, just over a month after Shullsburg-Benton’s final game of the 2023 season, Tiedeman passed away due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident.

“He was a fantastic ball player, and he was truly a better human who saw the good in everyone,” Behrens said. “He just began student teaching and was destined to be an incredible educator. This is always going to hurt.”

Cory Ritterbusch, the Fevers’ announcer and business manager, also sang the praises of Tiedeman.

“After high school, Brooks focused on playing for the Fever while commuting from Whitewater each Sunday and becoming a weekly starter,” Ritterbusch said. “He was known for his blazing speed, ability to bunt, and his exceptional range in center field. He was one of the most feared base stealers in the league. He had a zest for competition, and was bursting with character. Brooks played an important role in the Fevers’ recent success. Teammates will remember him as a fun-loving, good guy who was on his way to a full life.”

On Sunday, June 30, theFever officially retired Tiedeman’s jersey. A black sign in center field was unveiled during the ceremony. It includes a home white plate, two baseball bats behind it signifying an ‘X marks the spot,’ and the number 20 in the middle of it.

‘Be like Brooks’ is a phrase seen on t-shirts and bracelets around the Benton and Shullsburg communities. It’s a reminder to love and appreciate life that can be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of daily living.

“In typical Brooks fashion being as selfless as he always was, he continued his giving ways with the gift of life by donation to help others in need,” Behrens said. “When you drive down South Galena Street in Shullsburg, and happen to see the black sign with a number 20 in center field, use it as a reminder to love life just like Brooksie.”