Miss Teen Rodeo Kansas Emma Brungardt made her mark in the rodeo world before her death at age 19.
News broke in October that Brungardt was killed in a car accident that injured four of her rodeo teammates, per The Wichita Eagle. The driver of the vehicle veered “between the Y striking a tree row,” a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper wrote in a crash report.
The driver and Brungardt’s teammates were reportedly transported to Citizens Medical Center for their injuries, while she died at the scene.
Following her death, the Miss Rodeo Kansas Pageant issued a statement via Facebook expressing their “deepest condolences” to Brungardt’s family.
“Emma was a true gem and horsewoman who embodied what it meant to be a rodeo queen, always going above and beyond what was expected of her,” the statement read alongside a black-and-white photo of Brungardt. “We will miss her contagious smile and one in a million personality. Please keep her family and friends in your prayers as they navigate through this unimaginable loss.”
Scroll down to learn more about Brungardt:
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Emma Brungardt Was Born in Nebraska
Per her obituary, Brungardt was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, before moving to Kansas. In 2023, she graduated from Valley Heights High School, which is located in Blue Rapids, Kansas.
Emma Brungardt’s ‘Love for Animals’ Was ‘Present From the Beginning’
Brungardt has always had a special place in her heart for animals. “Emma’s love for animals was present from the beginning and grew endlessly as she did,” her obituary read. “Starting with helping care for goats, chickens, and her bottle calf, Clover.”
In high school, Brungardt “would attend football games with her mustang, Guy, and speed across the field waving the school flag,” per her obituary. “When the sports teams would advance to state contest Emma would saddle up and run alongside the school bus with her flag to send them off.”
Emma Brungardt Was a First-Generation Cowgirl
Brungardt was described as a “first-generation cowgirl” who “immersed herself in the western way of life,” according to the Miss Rodeo Kansas website.
Emma Brungardt and Her Mom Held a Fundraiser for Her Lifestyle
Brungardt and her mom, Holly, created Emma’s Rodeo Rolls to help fund her rodeo lifestyle. The mother-daughter duo would bake hundreds of cinnamon rolls weekly and sell them throughout their community, per Brungardt’s obituary.
Emma Brungardt Was a Student at Colby Community College
At the time of her death, Brungardt was a sophomore at Colby Community College majoring in equine management and production. Per the college’s tribute, Brungardt competed in goat tying, breakaway and team roping.
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