August 2, 2012
Heartland Express - Otoe County Fair
Page 13
Rodeo Champion Serves As Volunteer Phillipsburg, KS – Rodeo champions rarely show up at a rodeo to volunteer. But that’s exactly what has happened in Phillipsburg. The 1978 steer wrestling champion of Kansas' Biggest Rodeo now gives of his time as a volunteer at the same rodeo. John Boyington was in college when he won the steer wrestling over 30 years ago, and he was about to start veterinarian school. He had been competing in the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association, and he knew that summer was “my last hurrah,” as he put it. So he went to a lot of rodeos, steer wrestling in Denver, Houston, Ft. Worth, Cheyenne, Tucson, Calgary, and Phillipsburg, winning enough money to qualify for the Prairie Circuit Finals Rodeo that fall. The Phillipsburg resident grew up in Goodland with parents who support his and his siblings’ rodeo activities. After being accepted into Kansas State University’s vet school in the spring of 1978, he continued his pro rodeo career, knowing that
once vet school began, everything outside of school would be curtailed. The Prairie Circuit Finals in Wichita was the last professional rodeo in which he competed. In 1978, “I stopped rodeoing at that point. I was at the peak of my (rodeo) career, but had to make a decision between rodeo or vet school.” His focused shifted because “they weren't going to flunk me out of vet school. It was too difficult to get in.” After graduation in 1982, Dr. Boyington practiced in Missouri, Texas and Ulysses, Kansas, before opening his own practice, Crossroads Vet Clinic, in Phillipsburg in 1990. He served on the Kansas' Biggest Rodeo board for about 14 years, and for the last seven years has coordinated the rodeo’s ticket sales, ordering tickets and organizing help for the ticket office. He has also volunteered his professional expertise as the official rodeo veterinarian for the last 21 years, being on site for every performance of the rodeo.
Being an equine vet and a former contestant, he has a unique perspective of pro rodeo. “You realize how important (horses) are to these rodeo contestants. A lot of people don't realize what goes into making a rodeo horse. Their horse is their livelihood.” His championship win at the Phillipsburg rodeo came about a month after he got married. For him and his new bride, Donna, the stop in Phillipsburg, along with other rodeos, was “a rodeo honeymoon.” An avid rodeo competitor herself, Donna was the perfect traveling partner. “It was good times back then.” Rodeo “was really in my blood,” Boyington said. “Just like a lot of different sports, you get obsessed with them. I thought I had the talent to go on and maybe make it to the National Finals Rodeo.” John and Donna have two children: a son who is a student at Kansas State, and a daughter in high Continued on page 17
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Otoe County Fair
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Otoe County Fair August 11-15, 2012
ALSO AVAILABLE IN: MECHRON ORANGE REALTREE HARDWOODS® CAMO
Otoe County Fairgrounds • Syracuse, NE Saturday, August 11 4:00 p.m. Ranch Rodeo, Horse Arena 6:00-8:00 p.m. Rib Fest, North of Park 8:30 p.m.-12:00 Street Dance, 3rd St, Featuring “Sandy Creek” Sunday, August 12 7:30 p.m. 100 Year Farm Awards, Kimmel Event Center 8:00 p.m. Travis McGill “Howlarious Hypnotist”, Kimmel Event Center Monday, August 13 7:00 p.m. Veterans Parade 8:00 p.m. Tonic Sol-Fa, Kimmel Event Center Tuesday, August 14 8:00 p.m. Don Rose “Elvis”, Kimmel Event Center Wednesday, August 15 10:30 a.m. Antique Tractor Show & Drive, Fair Center Parking Lot 11:00 a.m. Country Fair Parade, Downtown 4:30 p.m. Pie Eating Contest, Fair Center 5:00 p.m. Hay Stacking Contest, Kimmel Arena 6:00 p.m. Wood Carving Auction, Kimmel Arena 6:30 p.m. Livestock sale, Kimmel Area
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For a complete list of 4-H, FFA and Open Class Events visit otoe.unl.edu
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