Conway Springs Brayden Kunz wins Oklahoma State Rodeo Finals, set for national finals in July
Braydon Kunz after placing third in national finals in 2022.
Sumner Newscow report — Conway Springs graduate Brayden Kunz continues to excel in his “other” sport, rodeo.
Kunz recently won the high school tie-down competition, i.e. calf roping, at the Oklahoma High School State Rodeo Finals in Chickasha from May 28 to June 2.
He out-pointed 22 other ropers to secure the victory. Kunz had 44 points compared to 36.5 from second-place winner Bobby Vaughan.
Kunz has now qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo. He will competing against the top tie-down ropers across the world. He has been to the national finals in 2022 and 2023. In 2022 he earned an 8.65 to finish third in the first round en route to finishing 17th overall and bringing home a scholarship, jackpot money and a belt buckle.
Kunz is going to play football this fall at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Mo. and will major in Applied Health Science. He played linebacker/running back for Conway Springs, helping lead it to a state championship for 2023-24 in November.
He is achieving similar success in rodeo. At one point, he was debating whether to play football or compete in rodeo in his collegiate career.
Kunz was a Reserve Champion in the calf roping at the Kansas State finals in 2021 and competed at the National Finals event in Lincoln, Neb. featuring more than 1,650 contestants from 44 states, five Canadian Provinces, Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand, the NHSFR is the world’s largest rodeo.
He is the son of Shaun and Jennifer Kunz of Milan and grandson of Allan and Vicki Longbine of Anthony, Jeanie Catlin of Wellington, and Dan and Shannon Kunz of Attica.
