Nebraska High School Rodeo Finals moving from Hastings to Burwell

BURWELL, NE — An event with nearly 20 years of history in Hastings is moving on.

Nebraska High School Rodeo Association President Jason Ohm confirmed to NCN on Wednesday that the Nebraska High School Rodeo Finals will be in Burwell for the next two years. He said the NHSRA Board of Directors voted to award the bid in one of its winter meetings and added that it was a close vote.

“The board just felt Burwell made a good offer and felt it was time to give another town a chance,” Ohm said.

The city in Garfield County is familiar to rodeo fans as it just finished hosting the 101st edition of Nebraska's Big Rodeo. It also hosted the high school finals in 2020 when Hastings couldn't because of pandemic restrictions.

Ohm said there are no hard feelings towards Hastings.

“Hastings set the bar very high and has done an outstanding job the last 18 years," Ohm said.

Burwell has a two-year contract to host the event before it goes back up for bid again.

Staff at the Adams County Fairgrounds did not immediately respond to a request for comment.