Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community
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For Kaylee Thiele, the title of Miss Clearwater Rodeo was never about wearing the crown, it was about representing the people who inspired her love of rodeo. As her reign comes to a close, she credits her community and father for helping shape her journey. A Clearwater native, Thiele grew up around Clearwater's Big Rodeo. "I've been involved in it for as long as I remember. Whether I was hauling hay or helping carry flags, I've been a part of the organization for a long time," she noted. Her lov...
Dori Hollenbeck proved why she's the queen of barrel racing after completing a 15.92 run during Saturday's performance at Clearwater's Big Rodeo. The Winner, South Dakota, resident took home $1,365.73 for her efforts. Hollenbeck and fellow performers in all events pocketed more than $30,000 in prize money from the three-day event sponsored by the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce. Kyle Nall-Sillivan of St. Paul finished second in barrels, running 16.14. She received $1,130.26. Dianne Axman of Loup...
Clearwater's Big Rodeo was celebrated June 26 - 28th, 2026....
Bobcat senior Ryan Rifer closed out his high school athletic career with a sixth-place finish at the 2026 Class C State Track and Field Championships at Omaha Burke Stadium. Rifer competed Friday, May 22, in the field of 17 competitors. He cleared the opening height - 5' 10 inches, and sailed over the 6-foot mark. At 6' 2 inches, Rifer missed the first two attempts but cleared the third run. He, along with six other competitors, moved to the 6' 4 inch mark. Five failed to clear the height. Cy...
A complete surprise. That's how SAM co-publisher Scott Schindler described the moment his name was announced as the winner of the Feature Photo of the Year from the Nebraska Press Association. "You entered my picture?" He asked wife and co-publisher LuAnn, before making his way to the podium to accept the award during the Nebraska Press Association's Better Newspaper Contest awards banquet, Saturday, at The Cornhusker in Lincoln. "He sent me two photos that made the paper throughout the year,"...
Being on the mat is a mental game, a balance of quick decisions and occasional regrets. Ava Cleveland, a junior, said the most difficult match she competed in at the 2026 State Girls Wrestling Championships was the one she lost - a 6-3 overtime loss to Abby Negley of Cozad. "It didn't physically feel different from other matches. I needed to mentally recover from that and keep wrestling," the junior said. Cleveland rebounded with a win over Ashlyn Dailey of Cedar Catholic and survived the...
Oops, they did it again. For the 15th time, Mid-States Rodeo Association contestants voted Clearwater's Big Rodeo as the top large-purse rodeo of the year. Award recipients were announced Sunday. M-SRA members determine winners of the group's annual awards, voting in nine categories, including announcer, secretary, tier, judge, pick up man, bullfighter, timed event contractor and rough stock contractor. The chamber event was tabbed as the top rodeo in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 19...
Contestants at Clearwater's Big Rodeo pocketed more than $40,000 in prize money from the three-day competition held in Gene Snodgrass Arena. Cooper Kursave of Arcadia scored 79, taking home the top prize in bull riding. He earned $977.60. Eli Higa finished second, scoring 73, earning $733.20. Brady Painter placed third with 68 points. He received $488.80, and Casey Reiss ended fourth, with 67 points. He received 244.40. Tanner Drueke won bareback, scoring 80 points. He received $530.16. Second...
The best weekend in June kicks of next weekend, as the 58th annual Clearwater's Big Rodeo takes center stage. Competition begins Friday, June 27, and continues through Sunday, June 29, at the Gene Snodgrass Arena, located along West US Highway 275 in Clearwater. Members of the Clearwater Chamber of Commerce have been preparing for the event for more than nine months. Chamber President Curt Thiele said rodeo committee members continue to make improvements at the arena, giving visitors and...
As temperatures soared into the 90s on Friday afternoon, high school volleyball action - the first ever played on an outdoor court - sizzled. Summerland grad Lydia Robertson added to the fire, leading the Dark Team to victory in the Northeast Nebraska All-Star Volleyball Match. Robertson recorded nine kills in the five-set extravaganza, with scores of 25-13, 13-25, 25-18, 27-25, and 15-9. The match, played at Norfolk's Memorial Field baseball diamond, featured an outdoor court between the...
Three Bobcat seniors played in the 12th annual Northeast Nebraska All-Star Football Classic, June 13, at Memorial Field in Norfolk. Sam Cheatum, Alec Schindler and Keaton Thiele suited on the the White Team, which secured a 42-22 decision....
One Summerland track and field standout landed on the medal stand, Friday, during the Nebraska School Activities Association Class C State Track and Field Championships at Omaha Burke Stadium. Junior Ryan Rifer competed in high jump, earning the fifth-place medal. The Bobcat jumper cleared 5' 10 inches and 6 feet without error. He missed his first attempt at 6' 2 inches, but made adjustments and cleared the bar on his second run. When the bar bumped up to 6' 4 inches, Rifer missed twice,...
The Advocate-Messenger earned 31 awards in the 2025 Better Newspaper Competition and ended in second place for the Allen & Linda Beerman Community Newspaper Sweepstakes Award, which includes weekly newspapers from all classes. The Stanton Register took top honors and the Aurora News-Register ended in third. SAM finished second in Division A, based on circulation and, in the digital sweepstakes division, SAM placed third. The paper picked nine first-place awards in categories, including building...
Whew! I’m still trying to recover from the 2025 Nebraska Press Association Convention, held in Kearney. I enjoy the annual conference for multiple reasons: great educational sessions, networking with fellow newspaper folk, meeting new vendors, great (but too much) food and an overall fantastic time celebrating the written word. It’s not all fun and games ... except for trivia night. That was a blast. I never thought I would hear “God Bless America” sung a beat box rhythm. Sessions begin early a...
For the 14th time, Clearwater's Big Rodeo, scheduled annually for the last full weekend in June, received the Mid-States Rodeo Association's award for large-purse rodeo of the year. Award recipients were announced Saturday, during the association's finale in Broken Bow. The chamber was tabbed as the top rodeo in 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Rodeo co-chairman Jeremy Kester attributes the event's success to a supportive community and large group...
What a show! Overflow crowds watched nearly 300 cowboys and cowgirls provide thrills and spills over the weekend at Clearwater's Big Rodeo. In the process, competitors took home approximately $34,000 in prize money. "What an amazing three nights of rodeo," said Curt Thiele, Clearwater Chamber of Commerce president. "We were blessed with very good weather and competition was high, with a big number of competitors." Sutton Schrunk, of Valentine, scored 77 in bull riding to take home the top prize...
