By: Justin Hargrove, Assistant Athletic Director
Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) hosted the third Rodeo of the NIRA Southern Region at the Mount Pleasant Rodeo Association arena this past week, October 9th-11th.
NTCC hosted teams from all over Texas, and Louisiana, competing for a chance to qualify for the Collegiate National Finals Rodeo to be held in Casper, Wyoming in June. NTCC competes in the Southern region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association with Hill College, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State University, Panola College, Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas College, Texas A&M University, East Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Lamar University, Trinity Valley Community College, and Wharton County Junior College.
Rodeo stock was provided by the legendary Wing Rodeo Company, a longtime supporter of the Northeast Texas Community College Rodeo program. Events started on Thursday with a 6:00pm slack session consisting of Barrel Racing and Bull Riding and then another round of Slack at 9:00am Friday with timed events. Friday night kicked off the full Rodeo at 7:00pm.
Saturday, the slack events started at 10:00am with one last chance for athletes in the Region to qualify for the finals starting at 7:00pm that night.
Spectators were treated to a full slate of Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc riding, Tie Down roping, Team Roping, Goat Tying, Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping, and Bull Riding. Saturday night the crowd was entertained with NTCC students participating in a Calf Dressing competition, students had three-person teams and had to catch a calf and put on boxer shorts and be the first to cross the finish line.
The NTCC Athletic Training Program put together a great Sports Medicine team to take care of the athletes this weekend. In addition to the NTCC Athletic Trainer and students, NTCC EMS Students were on hand for clinical experience in Sports Medicine, Titus Regional EMS provided transport capabilities, Dr. Michael Pappas of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine was on hand to evaluate and patch up the contestants, and other Certified/Licensed Athletic Trainers from East Texas that have many years of Rodeo experience donated their time.
Team Roping and Steerwrestling events were good for the Eagles. Blake Branquinho placed fourth in Steerwrestling bringing down his steer in 7.0 seconds in the long round and 5.2 seconds in the finals. In team Roping, Eagle header Teyton Barton looks for a return trip to the College National Finals Rodeo after his teammate, Cade Sandstrom of Southwest Texas College, took first place in the Team Roping. The NTCC duo of Kelon Andrews (header) and Hayden Sanders (heeler) who also made the trip to Casper, Wyoming last summer placed sixth in the Team Roping.
Southwest Texas College took the Men’s Team Title with Cort Boyd of SWT College winning the All-Around for his times in Team Roping and Tie Down roping. Sam Houston State University took home the Women’s Team Championship and former NTCC Eagle and current East Texas A&M Lion Chancey Wright won the Women’s All-Around title with her great runs in Breakaway Roping and Team Roping.
In Ladies Breakaway roping, Morgan Young of Hill College won the event with times of 2.2 seconds and 2.7 seconds in the finals. Sadie Grace Lovell of Panola College had the fastest times in Goat tying with a 6.4 second run and then 6.8 second run in the finals to secure first place. Sam Houston States Jocelyn McNichol was the fastest in the Barrels with times of 15.79 and 15.66 to secure the first-place win.
In the Men’s Timed events Colin Fox of Sam Houston State University took home first in Steerwrestling. Tie down roping champion went to Tyler Calhoun of Southwest Texas College.
On the rough stock end of the Arena, the Saddle Bronc Champion was Caleb Miller of McNeese State University with scores of 79 and 70 to earn the win. In Bareback, Gavin French of Texas A&M University College Station won with 75 and 82 points earned to be the NTCC Bareback Champion. Sam Berti of Wharton Junior College was the champion in Bull riding with scores of 79 and 81.
The NIRA Southern Region next Rodeo will be October 24th and 25th at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana before finishing out the fall at Sam Houston State University November 6th-8th.
