The transition from high school to college rodeo typically takes some getting used to.
Blake Smith is tackling the challenge head on.
Halfway through his freshman year at Dickinson State, the bareback rider from Zap is busy in the arena as he attempts to balance college competition as well as appearances at PRCA rodeos.
"It's a lot of fun," Smith said. "I do a lot of traveling. It's really nice. The competition, it makes you ride a lot better."
The 20-year-old who ranks third in the Great Plains Region bareback riding standings finished second Saturday at DSU's Cowboy Challenge, an exhibition held at the DSU Indoor Arena matching the Blue Hawks against a selection of the state's top high school contestants.
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He had a 74-point ride in the long round and won the short go with a 75 to finish runner-up in the average behind teammate Jordan Pelton.
Smith won the Cowboy Challenge last year en route to the North Dakota High School Rodeo Association bareback riding title.
The transition to college, however, hasn't come without its learning curve.
"College is really about being consistent and placing at every rodeo," Smith said. "That's what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to be more consistent, just to be able to keep going on. When I first kind of started, I was really wild."
DSU rodeo coach Eudell Larsen said Smith has the talent to go places in the sport, though he said the cowboy could still use some work.
"We keep working on technique and little things," Larsen said. "When you get to the level that Blake is at now, you just kind of work on some technique things, tweaks here and there just to keep improving, learning some new skills.
"It's not like Blake needs to learn how to ride buckin' horses. He does it real well. It's like any sport that somebody is accomplished at. You're always looking to improve some little technique that'll give you a little edge."
On Friday night, that improvement began to show at the Fargodome when Smith set the pace in the opening round of the Fargo PRCA Championship Rodeo.
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He scored a 79 on Mosbrucker Rodeo's Blue Warrior and finished in the money. Though his ride didn't hold on to the top spot after Saturday's round, he still finished in the money.
Smith has only been to a handful of PRCA rodeos and said he's excited for the summer when he can hit the road and get some experience.
"You get on a lot of good horses and there's a lot of guys who want to teach you stuff," he said. "You pick up a lot of tricks."
Dickinson State Cowboy Challenge
At DSU Indoor Arena
Long round
Bareback riding: 1, Jordan Pelton, DSU - Halliday, 79. 2, Blake Smith, DSU - Zap, 74. 3, Caleb Strecker, DSU - Gladstone, 71. 4, Logan Berg, Mandan, 65. 5, Jerald Berger, Mandan, 64.
Barrel racing: 1, Bobbi Grann, DSU - Sheyenne, 12.8. 2, Lexus Kelsch, McLaughlin, S.D., 13.63. 3, Michaela Kathrein, DSU - Dickinson, 13.71. 4, Mattea Hecker, DSU - Belfield, 13.86. 5, Samantha Jorgenson, Watford City, 13.92. 6, Chantel Fettig, Mandan, 14.16. 7, Skye Schaper, Halliday, 18.52. 8, Ashley Schaper, DSU - Halliday, 18.76.
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Breakaway roping: 1, Skye Schaper, Halliday, 2.9. 2, Ashley Schaper, DSU - Halliday, 4.1. 3, Lindsay Simmons, DSU - Gatzke, Minn., 4.3. 4, Kassie Kautzman, Walcott, 4.6.
Bull riding: No scores.
Goat tying: 1, Laura Waldo, DSU - Warwick, 6.0. 2, Bobbi Grann, DSU - Sheyenne, 6.1. 3, Stacy Doll, DSU - Prairie City, S.D., 7.2. 4 (tie), Lacey Grann, Sheyenne, 7.7; Brittany Jo Cudworth, Warwick, 7.7. 6, Teddi Schwagler, Mandan, 8.1. 7, Chantel Fettig, Mandan, 8.2. 8, Jori Gjermundson, DSU - Marshall, 11.6. 9, Kit Miller, Amidon, 12.3.
Saddle bronc riding: 1, Riley Knoll, DSU - Mandan, 75. 2, Wyatt Bice, Killdeer, 72. 3, Devon Burghardt, Mandan, 71. 4, Dalton Rixen, Richardton, 70. 5, Callen Clarys, Mandan, 69. 6, Taylor Buchholz, Fort Ransom, 66.
Steer wrestling: 1 (tie), Cameron Morman, Glen Ullin, and Colt Roshau, Bismarck, 4.2. 3, Zachery Johnson, Minnewaukan, 10.5.
Team roping: 1, Tanner Wznick, DSU - Cavalier, and Matt Wznick, DSU - Sidney, Mont., 7.6. 2, Joe Nelson, Alexander, and Wyett Magilke, Granville, 8.3.
Tie-down roping: 1, Tanner Wznick, DSU - Cavalier, 10.2. 2, Keaton Schaffer, Broadus, Mont., 12.2. 3, Wyatt Bice, Killdeer, 12.5. 4, Dillon Wickum, DSU - Minot, 13.5.
Short round
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Bareback riding: 1, Smith 75. 2, Pelton 72.
Barrel racing: 1, Kelsch 13.34. 2, Hecker 13.47. 3, Kathrein 13.72. 4, Grann 18.41.
Breakaway roping: 1, A. Schaper 2.4. 2, Kassie Kautzman 2.6. NT: S. Schaper, Simmons.
Bull riding: No scores.
Goat tying: 1, Doll 6.3. 2, B. Grann 7.0. 3, Waldo 7.2. 4, L. Grann 8.2. 5, Cudworth 10.9.
Saddle bronc riding: 1, Rixen 74. 2, Burghardt 70. 3, Knoll 69.
Steer wrestling: 1, Morman 4.6. 2, Johnson 6.1. 3, Evan Entze, Golden Valley, 13.3.
Team roping: 1, Jake Herman, Halliday, and Samantha Jorgenson, Watford City, 12.1. 2, Wznick and Wznick 12.4. 3, River Voigt, Killdeer, and Keaton Schaffer, Broadus, Mont., 13.0.
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Tie-down roping: 1, Wznick 11.9. 2, Schaffer 13.1. NT: Wickum, Bice.
Average
Bareback riding: 1, Pelton 151. 2, Smith 149.
Barrel racing: 1, Kelsch 26.97. 2, Hecker 27.33. 3, Kathrein 27.43.
Breakaway roping: 1, A. Schaper 6.5. 2, Kautzman 7.2.
Bull riding: No scores.
Goat tying: 1, B. Grann 13.1. 2, Waldo 13.2. 3, Doll 13.5. 4, L. Grann 15.9. 5, Cudworth 18.6.
Saddle bronc riding: 1 (tie), Knoll and Rixen 144. 3, Burghart 141.
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Steer wrestling: 1, Morman 8.8. 2, Johnson 16.6.
Team roping: 1, Wznick and Wznick 25.0.
Tie-down roping: 1, Wznick 22.0. 2, Schaffer 25.3.
