Tag Archives: Northwest College

Cliff still loving the rodeo life

Posted on by

Cliff still loving the rodeo life – Local News – News – General – North West Star.

HEART FOR RODEO: Cloncurry cowboy and saddle maker Cliff McIntyre has a heart for seeing kids involved in rodeo. - Picture: LIZ MACINTYRE/2527

HEART FOR RODEO: Cloncurry cowboy and saddle maker Cliff McIntyre has a heart for seeing kids involved in rodeo. - Picture: LIZ MACINTYRE/2527

HUGHENDEN – born Cliff McIntyre rolled into Cloncurry in 1967 as a rodeo cowboy, married Bonnie Jenkins, and he’s stayed there ever since (more or less).

He has seen his children successfully competing in rodeos all around Australia and in the US and still has a passion for getting kids involved in this tough sport.

In fact, 38 years ago he established the Cloncurry Western Club and is still involved.

He’d been riding with rodeos since he was 15 years old and he still competes in rope events such as calf roping and team roping.

Cliff went professional from the late 60s to early 70s and travelled around with his truck and horses from rodeo to rodeo until family commitments tied him down a bit.

“We travelled all around Australia and did a bit of a stint in the States; it was possible to support yourself as a professional in those days,” he says.

The McIntyres’ three children, Kylee, Dean and Carina became keen rodeo riders.

“When Kylee was aged 13 to 16, in the early 80s, we took the kids with us on the road and travelled all around the country, chasing titles for Kylee,” Cliff says.

She won the Australian Junior Barrel-racing championship four times, the Australian Junior All Round championship three times and was the youngest ever to compete at the National Finals in 1983 at the age of 13.

Kylee was crowned Miss Rodeo Australia in 1993.

Now Kylee Ferguson, she owns the travel agency in Cloncurry and she and husband Colin run the Rodeo Saddle Shop.

Cliff’s son, Dean McIntyre, 34, has lived in the USA for 17 years.

He went to the USA 17 years ago as a teenager, and his parents put him through two years of college at North West College, Powell, Wyoming.

“The first year he was there he made the college rodeo team, and won the right to compete in the steer wrestling.

“He won the All Round cowboy at the Cody Night Rodeos,” the proud father says.

Now based in Arizona, Dean has his own business, McIntyres’ Barns and Fencing.

He is a steer racer, and competes in steer wrestling for the Turquoise circuit taking in Arizona and New Mexico.

“He’s travelled right through the USA, but now that he’s a dad he’s concentrating on his area, Wickenberg Arizona,” Cliff says.

Now that he’s seen his kids through the rodeo circuit, Cliff has a passion for involving other kids.

Settled on his little farm on the edge of town, he is keen on getting juniors started.

“It’s time to get the Cloncurry Western Club kick-started for this year.

“I’m still very involved in getting juniors going in the sport of rodeo.

“It’s just a matter of getting them started, getting them keen.”

He’s got 60 head of Texas longhorn cattle that he breeds especially for rodeo events.

“They’re pretty unusual in this country.”

Related articles
About these ads

Family of First Casualty in Iraq Give Last Comment

Posted on by

Family of First Casualty in Iraq Give Last Comment – Local News – Billings, MT – msnbc.com.

Shane Childers

Shane Childers

POWELL, WYOMING – The first Marine killed in the Iraq War was Shane Childers, from Powell, Wyoming. Now that the war is over, we thought it would be important to look back with the family that made the greatest sacrifice first.

Joe Childers said this would be his last interview about the death of his son, Lt. Shane Childers. It was early spring, 2003. Wyoming’s governor joined the huge crowd gathered at Northwest College, for the memorial for Lt. Shane Childers. Childers was the first casualty of Iraqi Freedom. His father, Joe Childers, says Shane was killed when he waited to see if a passing civilian vehicle was hostile. It was.

Joe Childers said, “He opened up with a burst of automatic fire as he went by, and Shane caught one in the abdomen.” Childers says he and his wife Judy weren’t surprised when they heard the news. It seemed Shane had a premonition, too.

Childers remembered, “When we heard that the war started on the morning of the 21st, it was an officer that had been killed, we’ve talked about this over the years, and I think we both pretty well knew that it was Shane.”

Only weeks after Childers death, his mother, Judy, and father talked to KULR-8’s Penny Preston from the kitchen table of their Powell home. They’ve been interviewed a dozen times since, but turned down everyone, even a network invitation recently. Joe Childers says this is probably his last interview about his son’s sacrifice.

He said, “He was probably fulfilling his dream and his destiny, and that was leading Marines in combat.”

The 30-year-old Lieutenant had served in Operation Desert Storm, and lived in Iran when he was five years old because his father, a Navy Seabee, was stationed there. Military service is deep in this family. Childers says when he heard of his son’s death, his first thought was, “I hope there’s not many more.”

And now, he’s concerned about those who will carry wounds for the rest of their lives. He explained, “War’s a bad business. It’s gotta be done, I guess, but it’s a serious undertaking.”

Now, a street in Cody, Wyoming, bears Childer’s name. It’s next to the park where the Shane Childer’s Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day. His father says the son would have no regrets. He said, “The Marine officer that he was, the individual that he was, he would have done it again

Use of Force Training Simulator Sold to Criminal Justice College

Posted on by

Use of Force Training Simulator Sold to Criminal Justice College.

VirTra Systems (PINKSHEETS: VTSI), a leading provider of firearms training systems to Military, Law Enforcement agencies and accredited criminal justice programs, today announced a contract award for a VirTra 300 use of force training simulator from Northwest College located in Powell, Wyoming.

“Northwest College is among a growing number of innovative criminal justice programs incorporating our use of force simulators to better prepare students for careers in law enforcement,” says Bob Ferris, CEO, VirTra Systems. “The VirTra 300 allows students to develop the decision-making skills required by officers in the real world.”

The purchase includes tetherless recoil kits that allow students to train with real firearms, TASER® and OC kits for non-lethal weapons training and VirTra’s patented Threat-Fire™ return fire system. Northwest College also selected accessories for low light training.

The VirTra 300 is the most immersive firearms training simulator available. Five screens surround students within 300 degrees of video-based use of force training scenarios. VirTra’s patented Threat-Fire™ device enhances training realism with an adjustable electric impulse that simulates return fire.

Northwest College is a public two-year residential college located in Powell, Wyoming. The Criminal Justice program at Northwest College prepares students for Law Enforcement and correctional careers through courses including Criminal Investigation, Policing, Criminology, and Criminal Law.

Related articles