Emma Brungardt, the 2024 Miss Teen Rodeo Kansas, tragically lost her life in a car crash in rural Kansas on Friday night, which also left five of her college equestrian teammates injured, according to school officials.
Brungardt, 19, was a sophomore at Colby Community College, majoring in equine management and production. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Colby College Rodeo Team shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook: “Emma was a sweet soul who uplifted others and always had a positive attitude. Her light will live on in and around the rodeo arena.”
Emma Brungardt and four of her equestrian teammates were traveling in a pickup truck driven by an unidentified 18-year-old at the time of the crash. Authorities have not yet released further details about the driver or the cause of the accident.
Emma Brungardt Death Cause
According to a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper’s crash report, the pickup truck driver was heading south when the vehicle cut “between the Y,” striking a row of trees, which caused it to flip.
The driver and the four surviving passengers were taken to Citizens Medical Center in Colby, Kansas, with minor injuries.
Tribute’s
Following the tragedy, social media was filled with tributes and condolences. One user wrote on Facebook, “The team, students, and families involved are in my prayers. As an alumni, I know they are all a great community at CCC and will work through this tragedy together.”
The Miss Rodeo Kansas Pageant paid tribute to Emma Brungardt, praising her dedication and unique spirit.
“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 pageant wrote on Facebook. “We will miss her contagious smile and one-in-a-million personality.”
Social media has since been flooded with heartfelt comments and tributes honoring Brungardt’s memory.
Brungardt was attending Colby Community College on a scholarship, where she competed in goat tying, breakaway, and team roping as part of her equestrian team.
