By: Samantha Smith
Last weekend the ENMU Rodeo Team attended their eighth rodeo of the season and third rodeo of the spring semester at Western Texas College in Snyder, TX. After a less than great performance at the Ranger College Rodeo in Brownwood, TX two weekends ago, both the women’s and men’s teams bounced back strong, qualifying 12 team members to the short round of competition.
The women’s team had a strong performance, with eight girls qualifying for the short round in three events. ENMU Rodeo has a well-known reputation for excellent goat tying and this weekend was no exception. In the long round of competition, Tawny Barry carried away the competition tying a 6.9 second run to win the round. Unfortunately, a bobble in the short round cost her the championship but she was able to recover and finish fourth in the average. Colorado cowgirl Celie Vick ended up being the top ENMU goat tyer over the weekend after a tie for third and fourth place in the long round, and a tie for second and third in the short round resulting in a second place finish in the average. New Mexican’s Saige Bell, Lany Elkins, and Lindsey Adcock also had a strong showing in the long round but had some tough luck in the short round.
In the barrel racing, two ENMU cowgirls also managed to find their place in the coveted Saturday night short round. Bailey Harwell managed to put threes all the way across the board finishing third in the long round, third in the short round and you guessed it, third in the average. Joining Harwell in the cream of the crop was one of several Canadians on the team, Kennedy Smith. After a tough start to college rodeo with two injured horses, Smith was able to jockey her way to seventh place in the long round. A knocked over barrel in the short round cost her a place in the average.
Kortney McReynolds was the only roper to qualify for the short round in the breakaway but unfortunately wasn’t able to capture her calf the second time around.
As for the men’s team, six cowboys competed in the Saturday night short round.
Team ropers Luke Hisel and Brandon Muniz were the comeback kids Saturday night, winning the short round after qualifying in last hole after the long round. This first place performance secured a reserve championship in the average for the New Mexico cowboys.
Steer Wrestlers Ringo Robinson and Wesley Gudgell also competed Saturday night. Gudgell ended up sixth place in the average and Robinson was unable to capture his second steer.
In the roughstock events, saddle bronc rider Jacob Lewis won second place in the long round but bucked off in the short round. Bull rider Tucker Turner also qualified for the short round but finished with a no-score in the short round as well.
ENMU Rodeo will compete at Big Springs, TX this coming weekend. Follow southwestregionrodeo.com for full results.
