Texas Tech's rodeo team turned in strong roping and riding performances at the final of the fall season's southwest region national intercollegiate rodeos this weekend (Oct. 27-28) at the Clarendon College Rodeo in Clarendon.

In the rodeo's calf roping event, Tech senior Garrett Hale of Snyder placed first in the finals, and, eventually, took second in the overall calf roping championship. Meantime, J.D. McCuistion, a junior agricultural economics major from Collinsville, placed fifth in the finals and fourth overall.

According to Tech Rodeo Coach Chris Guay, team ropers Kyle Parker, a junior agricultural economics major from Breckenridge, and Chance Gasperson, a junior business major from Breckenridge, took first place in go-round one and seventh overall. Team ropers Traci Bailey, a junior agricultural education major from Payson, Utah, and Trenton Herod, a sophomore agricultural economics major from Barry, finished sixth in go-round one and placed in the finals 'Top 10.'

Other prominent performances included:

• Barrel Racing: Riding her mare "Frenchy," Taylor Langdon, a senior exercise sports major from Aubrey. Second in go-round one; first in the finals; first overall
• Barrel Racing: Shelby Janssen, a general studies major from Austin, Minn. First in go-round one; second in the finals; second overall

Texas Tech's rodeo teams are scheduled to compete in five more rodeos during the spring semester. According to Guay, their goal is to win a regional championship which will qualify them for the College National Finals Rodeo next summer. The top two teams and top three individuals in the region automatically advance to nationals in Casper, Wyoming.

Written by Norman Martin

CONTACT: Chris Guay, Instructor and Rodeo Coach, Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2805 ex. 256 or www.ttu.edu/rodeo

1029NM12 / PHOTO: Richard "Whitty" Whittenburg "" Two Dog Enterprises

 

Editor's Note: For more information about the Texas Tech Rodeo Team, go to www.ttu.edu/rodeo. A map to the Texas Tech Equestrian Center can be found at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/agriculturalsciences/news/?p=760