Team roping heeler
Maryville, Mo.

Born: July 1, 1985, in Maryville
Education: Studying agriculture business at Northwest Missouri State University, where he’s on the rodeo team. His father, Ed, is one of his coaches.
Derk ropes primarily with his brother-in-law, Jay Nellesen. The two continue to hold the arena record at the Sidney, Iowa, PRCA Rodeo, when they won the second round in 2006.
As a high school athlete, he won the Missouri High School Rodeo Association’s team roping title in both his junior and senior seasons. He also finished 13th at the National High School Finals Rodeo, where he also qualified in tie down roping. In youth rodeo, he won five all-around saddles before entering the high school ranks.
On roping with Nellesen, Derk said, “We’ve been roping so long together, it’s easy. I usually know what to expect and how quick we need to be to win.”

Rodeo Media Relations - P.O. Box 663 - Maryville, MO 64468 - (660) 254-1900

This page was last updated May 3, 2008