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Name: Summer Kosel
Hometown: Glenham, SD
Rank: 9th
2023 Winnings: $115,681
NFR Qualifications: 1 (2023)
Career Earnings: $192,503
Biggest Win of 2023: It wasn’t the largest paying “win”, but winning Othello, WA was a big one for me because it was toward the end of the year when it was really tight to see who would make the finals.
Horse(s): Firewaterfrenchfame “Apollo” – 8-year-old bay gelding; NothinButCashNKisses “Dredge” – 8-year-old gelding.
Which horse will you run in the first round: Apollo
Strategy for NFR: My strategy is to keep winging it, living on a prayer, have no fear, and give it our all every round!
Saddle: Josh Andrews Saddle
Top 3 favorite bits: I don’t really have three. I ride almost everything in “Apollo’s” bit made by JD Bits.
Horse leg Protection: Josh Andrews boots or polo wraps
Jeans and Shirts: For jeans, I kind of wear a little of everything. My favorites are 7 for All Mankind (Dojo), Ariat Trousers, and Rock N Roll Cowgirl trousers. My favorite shirts are Kingsville Brand! They are the only shirts that fit my “man” shoulders.
Hat: I have a few of these as well, but the newest one that will be seen at the NFR was made by Star of The West Hat Company.
Truck: I drive a F350 dually but I’m looking at switching to a F450
Trailer: Lakota Stock Combo
Must haves in truck and trailer: My nutrition supplements, nebulizer for my horses, Bemer, and medical kit for the horses. I always keep an inspirational scripture book in my trailer as well.
Travel partners: My dog, Pearl, my son, Courage, and my husband, Kevin, when I can talk him into coming.
Motto: Proverbs 21:31 “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.”
Favorite Food on the road: My favorite food is string cheese. If I go out to eat, it is going to be a good steak or sushi.
What defines a champion: That’s a tough one. I would say a champion is anyone willing to go the extra step. To take the fire that God places in your soul and do whatever it takes to build the flames. Never let anyone, any situation, or setback put them out or diminish them! The devil works the hardest when you are on the brink of something great!
Advice: Never think you know it all! There is always something to learn, but also don’t try to be someone else! Learn, grow, and adapt, but stay true to who you are!
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D-backs Pitcher Enters Free Agency
As the World Series comes to a conclusion, the MLB offseason officially commences. That means three of the Arizona Diamondbacks pending free agents have officially entered free agency, One such free agent is left-hander Jalen Beeks. Beeks, alongside former ace Zac Gallen and veteran backup catcher James McCann, were listed among the 137 players hitting free agency, in a statement released by the MLB Players' Association. For more on Gallen's free agency, check out the below article: Related Content: Zac Gallen Takes First Free Agency Step The D-backs are among the teams with the lower free agent departure totals. With the five-day "quiet period" following the World Series, teams will have the option to re-sign their own players without competition. Unlike Gallen, Beeks is an arm that seems like a much more reasonable re-sign for Arizona. Arizona Diamondbacks' Jalen Beeks Enters Free Agency The 32-year-old veteran left-hander was a last-second pickup for GM Mike Hazen and the D-backs, joining the team just prior to Opening Day. He quickly became one of the few arms trusted to take on a workhorse load out of the bullpen, as Arizona's relief corps suffered injury after injury. And he certainly did take a large share of the innings. Beeks tossed 57.1 innings, and likely would have been used even more if not for an IL stint (followed by careful usage) in the latter third of the regular season. Still, the lefty posted a solid 3.77 ERA, inflated somewhat by a few blowup outings. He's also had generally solid, if not eye-popping peripheral metrics, even during some of his uglier ERA seasons. Finding quality left-handed relief pitching is no easy feat. Considering Beeks made only $1.25 million with Arizona in 2025, even a slight increase in that amount would likely be money well spent. Related Content: Diamondbacks Have to Address This Bullpen Need Again The Diamondbacks already face an uphill battle with regard to bolstering their bullpen and starting rotation. An in-house option with a history of stability would be a beneficial return, even if regression is a distinct possibility. Regardless, the Diamondbacks absolutely must make an attempt at acquiring a closer (as well as another legitimate leverage arm) if they want to weather the storm before Justin Martinez and A.J. Puk return. Beeks does not necessarily fill that type of role, but he does have leverage experience, and would likely perform well in a middle-relief role without the pressure of having to serve as the setup man or closer in 2026. Related Content: Should the Diamondbacks Bring Back this Veteran Reliever? Arizona Diamondbacks Latest News
Matt LaFleur spills the beans on what the Packers really plan to do ahead of the NFL trade deadline
Five reasons why the Dodgers will three-peat as World Series champions
Game 7 of the World Series isn't even 24 hours old, and already the business of baseball has shifted to the 2026 season. Scores of players officially became free agents Sunday, while others are choosing whether to exercise or decline options for next season. But one thing is for sure: The Los Angeles Dodgers are the overwhelming favorite to win a third straight World Series. This might be obvious because the Dodgers will likely run MLB's highest payroll onto the field on Opening Day. But there is substance to go with the big bucks. Here are five reasons why the Dodgers will become the first team since the 1998-2000 New York Yankees to win three titles in a row: 1. The full Shohei Ohtani Shohei Ohtani didn't make his season debut as a pitcher until June 16, 73 games into the Dodgers' season, following his second major elbow surgery. Since it was impossible to send him out on a rehab assignment without removing him from the MLB roster, he rehabbed his way back by slowly building up. Well, that won't be necessary in 2026. Ohtani will be a full go right from Opening Day. He pitched just 47 innings over 14 regular-season starts, but was under no limits in the postseason, as we saw with the right-hander starting Game 7 on three days' rest. During the regular season, Ohtani posted a 2.87 ERA with 1.7 walks and 11.9 strikeouts per nine innings. 2. Starting rotation is stacked Ohtani probably won't even be the Dodgers' Opening Day starter, however. That honor should go to Yoshinobu Yamamoto following his World Series MVP performance. From there, the starting five will be Tyler Glasnow, two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki. As always, health will be the key for the rotation, especially with Glasnow, but there is plenty in reserve in Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, Bobby Miller and Gavin Stone. 3. Mookie Betts is completely healthy One reason the Dodgers finished with the third-best record in the NL this season was because of the health of shortstop Mookie Betts to begin the season. Betts had an undisclosed illness that took nearly 20 pounds off his already-slight 180-pound frame. He didn't hit above .258 in any month, with a low of .208 in July, before finally getting back on track in August and September. Betts finished with a slash line of .258/.326/.406 while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at short, but still short of his career slash line of .278/.363/.505. There is nothing more dangerous than a driven Betts, so he could put up big numbers in 2026. 4. Room for more players While some pending free agents — think Enrique Hernandez and Miguel Rojas — will return, the Dodgers may be making free-agent additions and even a trade or two as they shed some contracts this offseason. A big outfield bat would be the biggest priority, likely a left fielder. A wild card in the outfield scenario would be whether the Dodgers opt to play Ohtani in the outfield on occasion. Ohtani had played in just seven games in the outfield, all coming in 2021, when he was in right field for six games and left for one. This could allow Ohtani to DH on the day before and after he pitches and give the other veterans a chance to just hit when he plays the outfield. 5. Dave Roberts at the helm Managing a superstar-studded roster like the Dodgers takes a unique skillset, one that Dave Roberts has navigated pretty well in recent years. He now has three World Series rings in six years. Roberts has shown the ability to adjust to circumstances, like last year with a bullpen-centric pitching staff, to this year with the bullpen a liability and the rotation a strength. Also, his feel for the game was on display with the insertion of Rojas into the lineup for Games 6 and 7 and putting Andy Pages in for defense in the ninth inning of Game 7 before his amazing catch.
Giants offensive lineman delivers harsh truth about team struggles that many inside the organization won’t admit
The New York Giants' season has been an incredibly bumpy one thus far. From blown fourth-quarter leads to being trounced at home numerous times, the Giants have offered little to be excited about nine games in. It's been increasingly frustrating to observe the on-field performance every week while getting lip service from players and coaches. Many haven't been honest or direct about how they feel about the team's direction. Head coach Brian Daboll has been especially opaque when asked to address underperforming coaches and players. Today, when speaking to the media, Giants' starting offensive lineman Jon Runyan delivered a surprisingly honest message about how the recent loss to the San Francisco 49ers felt. "Going out there and kind of putting out the performance we had as a team, seeing the San Fran fans all packing the stadium, I felt embarrassed leaving the field," Runyan told reporters, "and that's not really a feeling you want to have leaving your own home stadium." Jon Runyan gives an honest assessment of the Giants There have been numerous games this season where the Giants have completely collapsed. From the Cowboys beating them in overtime to the Broncos mounting a late fourth-quarter comeback, the Giants have failed to execute when they've needed to most. According to Runyan, that's been a contributing factor to the poor vibes in the locker room. "I feel like the wind, it kind of took the wind out of our sails, unfortunately," Runyan told the media, "But that's how this league is. It's brutal. You got to keep going after witnessing something like that, and it's tough. Those are the times where you have to come together as teammates and as brothers, and get this stuff fixed out." Runyan also added that the team established a strong bond during the offseason. And it's been shocking to see the poor performance, given how they worked in the offseason. "Yeah, it hurts. I think everybody in the locker room is pretty upset. I feel like going back to the offseason program, the training camp, I felt like we really built a strong brotherhood and culture throughout this locker room," Runyan stated, "And for us to be sitting in the same spot we were last year is not where we want it to be, not where we thought we would be. It hurts. Still got half a season left to go. I mean, the guys in this building on this offense and defense, this team, we're fighters, so we're going to keep going." Now that the Giants are likely out of playoff contention, the heat on Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen's seats is starting to increase. It feels inevitable that the franchise will undergo a complete reset by the end of the year. Runyan was one of the first people within the organization to have a comforting viewpoint on how to approach the second half of the season. "Anything else external, outside the building, pressures, talking about whatever is going on with our team, that's for other people to talk about. We don't look at that as something we're worried about. We're not worried about who we're playing in three weeks from now. We're not worried what the state of the organization is going to look for now ... However, it shapes up, that's not up to me. That's not my decision. So, I don't pay any mind about it, and we're still going to go out there and play with our coaches and our guys that we have out there, and we're going to play hard." What the future holds for the Giants is currently a bit unclear. But it was at least encouraging to hear such an honest assessment of the team's state for once.
Canadiens Player Sends Clear Message After Senators Targeted Ivan Demidov
Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jayden Struble didn’t hesitate when Ottawa Senators forward Nick Cousins came back through Bell Centre on Saturday night. Weeks after Cousins’ preseason slash on Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov, Struble delivered his own message during Montreal’s 4–3 overtime win. The Habs defenseman dropped the gloves with 18 minutes, 45 seconds left to play in the third period and the game tied at 2, settling a feud that lingered since training camp. “When you have a guy like that taking a shot at your star young player, that was a bad play,” Struble said. “None of us liked it. We were thinking about it. This is the first time we played him since. That’s on our minds. You can’t go around trying to hurt our best players.” Cousins spent most of the night trying to avoid both Struble and Montreal’s usual enforcer, Arber Xhekaj, before finally being caught after two full periods. The fight was brief but decisive, ending with Cousins bloodied and leaving the game. Struble, 24, said there was no personal vendetta, just a need to hold opponents accountable for their actions, even more in preseason exhibitions. Back in October, the NHL fined Cousins $2,148.44, the maximum allowable under the collective bargaining agreement. Cousins was only assessed a minor penalty for slashing during that preseason matchup. Struble made it clear on Saturday that Montreal won’t forget when a player crosses the line, saying, “We’ll protect our guys. That’s how it should be.” For the Canadiens, the moment carried meaning beyond retaliation. Demidov, the target of Cousins' slash in September, tied the game late in regulation before Alex Newhook sealed the win in overtime. The Canadiens and the Senators will meet three more times this season, the next matchup scheduled for Dec. 2 once again in Montreal.
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