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Get to Know Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College Rodeo Commit Klint Shamblin
Name: Klint Shamblin
Hometown: Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania
High School: Slippery Rock Area High School
Primary Sport: Rodeo with a specialization in steer wrestling
Secondary Sports: Football and Wrestling
Athletic Accolades: Letter winner in football, second-team all-region defensive linemen in football, letter winner in wrestling, three-time national qualifier at the high school level in rodeo, and a three-time participant in high school rodeo nationals in Wyoming,
Commitment: To attend Northeastern Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical (A&M) College. Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College is a two-year community college located in Miami, Oklahoma. The institution is known as NEO in its abbreviation and competes as the Golden Norsemen in men’s athletics and the Lady Norse in women’s sports. While most athletic teams at NEO compete at the junior college level, rodeo is unique in that they compete against fellow junior and community colleges as well as against large NCAA programs in the south. Around 2,000 students attend NEO.
Why He Chose NEO: “I have been a part high school rodeo for the past three years and made it to the national high school finals in Wyoming each year. A couple coaches came up to talk to me about coming and joining their rodeo program. So I went and visited those schools and also decided to look online and see more options for college rodeo. I ended up emailing the coach from NEO and sent him some videos of me. He wanted me to come visit, so we went out and visited and I just fell in love with the schools. I got offered some other full rides to college, but they just didn’t compare to the atmosphere that NEO has.”
Intended Major and Future Plans: Shamblin intends to earn an associate degree in agricultural business and then either transfer to a four-year school to continue his rodeo career or stay at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M to earn another degree in marketing. Ultimately, he hopes to open up and run his own butcher shop one day and continue taking part in rodeos past the college level.
Background in Rodeo: Shamblin has been attending and/or participating in rodeo’s his entire life. His mom continues to participate in barrel racing and his father rode bucking bulls for a number of years. He’s also participated by riding sheep and calves in the past. Today, he currently practices around one or two days per week as he juggles schooling, being a varsity athlete, and working on the family farm on top of taking part in rodeos many weekends. Going to college will allow him to practice every day, which he doesn’t currently have the capacity and number of people around him in Butler County to help him practice consistently.
Favorite Rodeo Memories: The conversations and times in the truck going from rodeo to rodeo with his friends and family.
Notes About College Rodeo: A college rodeo competition is made up of nine total events. The events are bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing, and goat tying. While some athletes specialize, many participate in as many events as they can to score points and be crowned champion cowgirl or cowboy for the event. “I also want to say that for some people rodeo is not just a hobby, but it’s a way of life. It’s unfortunately a dying thing, and I encourage people who have dreams to chase after them because anything is possible.”
His Support System: “My great buckskin horse Buck always puts me where I need to be every time and gives me an honest shot to make a good run every time. Thanks to Mr. Tim Slater for always being there to help getting back to the basics of steer wrestling when I’ve hit a rough patch. Lastly, my hauling partners Chaz McGuire and Coy Dyer I appreciate for pushing me to be better everyday.”
Future Ambitions: “The whole goal at the end of the day is to go to school, get an education, and get better in the sport that I have dedicated my life to. I hope to make what was once just a hobby into my job, and to one day be in Las Vegas at the national finals for rodeo.
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