Meet the Country Stampede On-Site Managers

Jim Badders

Jim has been with Country Stampede since 1997. He is Country Stampede's finance manager. When not working for Country Stampede he is the Assistant Controller at Kansas State. He loves to travel in his free time.

Pat Collins

Patrick R Collins, “Pat” has worked at Riley County since January 1977. His spare time was spent as husband, father and as a volunteer in the community. He served as Kansas First Responder for EMS, Police Reserve officer for Riley County Police Department and Volunteer firefighter for both Riley County Dist. #1 and Ogden. He served as Ogden Fire Chief from 1983 until 1989. In 1991 he was appointed the Emergency Management Coordinator/ Assistant Fire Chief. The Board of County Commissioners changed that appointment to include Riley County Fire Chief, Riley County Emergency Management Director and Emergency Communications Coordinator in 1995.

He has assisted in the Country Stampede Communications every year except 2007. Pat is an amateur radio operator and has operated and maintained several 911 systems for Riley County. Pat’s hobbies include hunting, fishing, camping and being a grandfather.

Jena Davoren

Jena Davoren began working at the Country Stampede in 1997 as a custodial supervisor. In 2003, she was promoted to a Manager in the Custodial Maintenance Department.

Jena was born and raised in Meriden, Ks, and moved to Manhattan in 1994 to attend Kansas State University. She married Brian Davoren in 1999 who is also an employee at the Country Stampede. She works full-time as an accountant at Carson Home Sales in Manhattan. She also works part-time at Sweet Dreams Catering, a catering business she co-owns with her mom on the weekends. Jena and Brian have two children. What Jena enjoys most about working at the Country Stampede is getting together with the people that she works with and only gets to see once a year during the festival.

Deb Delzeit

Deb is in her 10th year with the Country Stampede. She’s held supervisor positions in both Parking and Traffic and Merchandising until the 2008 season when she took the Merchandising manager position, and now Advanced Ticket Sales & Parking Cashier manager.

When not working for the stampede, Deb is a Retail Operations Manager for Kaw Valley Greenhouses, managing operations for 22 retail garden centers in 3 states. In the off gardening season, she spends time with her husband, Ed, on their little farm in Bennington, Kansas raising chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and quail.

Mark French

Mark French has worked security since the first Country Stampede. In 1998 he was promoted to front of stage and back stage security supervisor.

Steve French

Steve French began working for the Country Stampede in 1996 as the Parking/Traffic Division Manager. In 1997, he was reassigned as the Festival Security Manager. With his vast knowledge and community contacts Steve French became the County Stampede Consultant in 1998, a position which he continues in today. Steve has made many friends during his years working at the Stampede and enjoys “re-connecting” with staff and patrons each year

Steve has been married to Kathy French for 39 years and they have three children. Steve is twice retired from the Riley County Police as he returned in 2007 as “Interim Director”. He started his law enforcement career with the Riley County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy Sheriff in December 1971. Steve now enjoys being retired and working on his farm and playing with his grandchildren.

Adrienne Hayes

Adrienne Hayes started with Country Stampede as the temporary office assistant in 1999. She worked 2 more summers as the advanced ticket sales cashier. In 2002 she was able to again work as the temporary office assistant and then in November, she was offered the full time position of Office Manager. In 2004 she was promoted to Administrative Manager and then to  Operations Manager in 2008 which is her current position with the event. After 13 years of working for Country Stampede, she loves her job even more every year! She is ecstatic to be part of such a fantastic team and looks forward to seeing everyone that only works once a year. Her favorite part of the event is seeing the setup and all of her hard work come to life in a visual sense. It’s exciting to be able to bring such a magnificent event to Manhattan, as well as the State of Kansas and hopes to be a part of the event for a long time! Adrienne has been married to her husband, Jared , for 9  years and they have 2 wonderful children

Jaylee Henkle

Jaylee is one of the newest members to join Country Stampede as a marketing intern. She is a junior at Kansas State University, and is majoring in organizational communications with a minor in business, leadership, and Spanish.

Jaylee is from a small town around the Kansas City area but is now proud to bleed purple. When not busy with Country Stampede, Jaylee enjoys volunteering with her sorority, attending as many Kansas State sporting events as possible, and spending quality time with friends and family.

Sara Herdman

Sara Herdman is currently serving as the Human Resource Intern for the 2011 Country Stampede. She is a senior at Kansas State University where she will graduate in December of 2011 with a degree in Business Management with a minor in Non-Profit Leadership.
Sara's hometown is Tonganoxie, Kansas, but has loved living in Manhattan for the last four years. Outside of Country Stampede, Sara also works at the K-State School of Leadership Studies giving tours and serving the wonderful staff. In her spare time, she enjoys working for FCCLA, hanging out with friends and family, watching sports and relaxing. She is very excited to get the opportunity to work with Country Stampede this year! This will be Sara's first trip to Country Stampede!

Amanda Hogue

Amanda Hogue  is a senior at Kansas State University in Hospitality Management and Business Administration. She is excited for her second year as the event planning intern.  

Amanda is from Wichita, Kansas, but is proud to call the Little Apple her second home. When she isn’t working for Country Stampede, she loves spending time cheering on her Wildcats, traveling to visit family, and soaking up the sun at Tuttle Creek Lake!

Ernie Jordan

Ernie Jordan has worked campground security for Country Stampede for the past seven years. This will be his fourth year as Campground Security Manager. Originally from Rhode Island Ernie made his way to Manhattan Kansas in 1970 via a stint with the U.S. Army ending at Ft Riley Kansas.

Ernie has been a resident of Kansas for over 30 years and is married to his wife Cindy for 40 years. They have 3 children and several grandchildren.

Ernie enjoys seeing old friends return year after year and meeting new friends. He looks forward to the challenges of providing a safe and enjoyable environment for your stay with us.

Mick McCallister

Mick McCallister started with the Country Stampede organization in 1996 as a volunteer worker. For the past seven years he has performed as the Service Volunteer Manager. Responsibilities include supervision of festival set-up and tear down, camp ground clean up and the coordination of 350 beverage service volunteers each year.

As a 30-year Department of the Army civilian, he spends his two week vacation at the Country Stampede. “My primary focus is to offer the opportunity for off duty soldiers and their families a chance to reset and have a little fun and have a great experience at the Country Stampede.”

The majority of volunteers are soldiers and/or their spouses. “It has been an enormous pleasure to give support to our soldiers and their families in this small way.”

Kurt Moldrup

Kurt “Moldy” Moldrup has worked festival security since the Stampede’s first year in 1996. He was soon promoted to Festival Security Manager. He has been supervising a team of 180 for the past 8 years. 

When not working for Country Stampede Kurt is employed with the Riley County Police department as a Lieutenant in the Support Division and is the Assistant Team Leader and tactical medic on the departments Tactical Team. Kurt is married to Sue and has 11 children, all of which are or have been home educated. As a result Kurt also has to work as a security guard for the Manhattan Town Center (20 years of service) and is employed by Kansas State Athletic Operations where he is the parking supervisor for all events that occur at Bramlage Coliseum and Bill Snyder family Stadium, home of the Wildcats! In addition Kurt is a manager for CTM managing amusement rides in the local mall. 

When Kurt is not working he enjoys spending time with his wife of 26 years, eleven children and two grand children.

Kathy Niedel

Kathy started out working as a supervisor at the gates and camping check-in before becoming the vehicle manager in 2008. She is from Hermitage, MO and enjoys heading to Kansas for the Country Stampede in June.

Tim Niedel

Tim started out as a gate supervisor for 3 years before becoming the gate manager in 2009. He is from Hermitage, MO where he operates and owns a flea market with his wife Kathy. They have been married six years and enjoy heading to Kansas every June to be a part of Country Stampede.

Christina Pfaff

Christina lives in Kansas City. She received her bachelor's and master's degree from Kansas State. She  teaches early childhood special education and is also the teacher of the visually impaired for the Platte County R-3 School District.

She has been working the Country Stampede since the beginning. She started out working in a beverage tent, then as stagehand, then stage manager, and now she is the production manager. She loves her Country Stampede family and hopes to be doing this job for many years to come!

Chris Rouse

Chris has started working for Country Stampede full time in 2004 after graduating from Fort Hays State University with a B.A. in English. Current duties include designing and maintaining the website, designing and distributing posters and flyers, working with media partners, and other various marketing and graphic design duties.

Chris lives in Topeka, KS with his wife Dawn.

Wayne Rouse

Wayne has been the President of Country Stampede since its inception in the summer of 1995, the first festival took place in 1996. Wayne moved to Manhattan in September of 2001 and added General Manager to his title.

Wayne has been producing events, including Concerts, Festivals, PRCA Rodeos and even Professional Wresting events. Along with Country Stampede, Wayne still does additional on-site production and promotion for several other events and concerts.

Wayne is married and has one son and two step-sons.

Kim Wagenblast

Kim began working with Country Stampede as a volunteer in the Beverage Tents in 1998 and 1999. As a military spouse, Kim moved in 2000 only to return in 2003. In 2004 she returned to Country Stampede assisting the Volunteer Coordinator along with set-up and tear-down.

The majority of the volunteers in the Beverage Booths and VIP area are military service members and family members. She enjoys working the families providing them an opportunity to experience the festival in a unique way.

She is also very involved with the military community serving as a "Ghostess" on the board of Historical and Archological Society of Fort Riley. The Ghostess plans and organizes volunteers for the once a year Ghost Tours of Fort Riley.

Her daily/normal career continues to serve families military families living on Fort Riley. She is also an Assistant Neighborood Manager for Picerne Military Housing.