Women’s and Men’s Rodeo Teams Qualify for CNFR

- Released by OPSU Campus Communications on 04-27-2009
By Laura Hays

Goodwell, Okla. — From Manhattan, Kansas to Weatherford, Oklahoma and many points in between, the Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo teams have literally traveled thousands of miles this school year to compete. The effort paid off and the Aggie men’s and women’s team will once again stir up the dust in the Casper Events Center at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming this June. Several OPSU student athletes earned individual titles as well plus two special “team members” were also honored for their performances over the season.
The men’s team won first place and women’s team second in the Central Plains Region, one of the most competitive in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). The wins qualify both teams for the Casper trip. According to OPSU Rodeo advisor Dr. John Townsend, the Central Plains Region had over 600 members competing this year and remains the largest Region in NIRA. The Southwest Region comes in a distant second with just over 500 members. Compare that to the tiny Rocky Mountain Region with only 145 members this year and the Northwest Region with 149 members. Winning titles in the Central Plains Region remains a distinctive honor for our OPSU student athletes. Townsend said, “The large rodeo fan base, the tremendous support from the Region’s institutions, and a diverse pool of rodeo athletes makes the Central Plains probably the most highly competitive in North America.”
OPSU’s individual Regional titles prove that of the 600 plus athletes they compete against, we boast some of the most ambitious members. Consider Seth Schafer and Jordan Muncy, the Central Plains Region All-Around winners. Schafer, an end-to-end arena athlete, ended his senior year in the Region with second place in the steer wrestling, third place in the saddle bronc riding, and a respectable seventh place finish in the tie-down roping. Muncy, only in her sophomore year, will once again represent OPSU in Casper for the second year. In addition to her All-Around title, she brought home the regional title in barrel racing as well as fifth and eighth places in goat tying and breakaway, respectively.
OPSU practically swept the Regional saddle bronc riding top ten with Tyrel Larsen in first place, Troy Crowser in second, and Schafer’s third followed by Townsend Prince in fourth, Cort Scheer in sixth, and Ryan Bestol in eighth. In other rough stock events, Quirt McDaniel placed fourth in the bareback riding, and Larsen was seventh in bull riding. Ty Clearwater also came in the top ten in the bull riding, and sixth place in the steer wrestling belongs to Jesse Jolly. Team roping header Ryan Simons came in fourth in the Region and Tyler Lauridsen, seventh. At the heels, Cody Ware and Jesse Jolly came in fourth and seventh, respectively.
In addition to Muncy, other women in the Region’s top ten include Katie Jolly with second place in the breakaway roping and Chancy Harrington ninth in the goat tying.
Two very special parts of the rodeo team were also honored at the final Central Plains rodeo last weekend. Coach Craig Latham was named the Central Plains Region Coach of the Year, an honor bestowed by votes of his fellow coaches and the rodeo student athletes in the Region. Latham won the CNFR saddle bronc riding in 1988 and ended up second in the national college ranks that year. The following year, he finished sixth in that event at CNFR and fourth in the national ranks. His experience coupled with his friendliness and work ethic earned him well-deserved Coach of the Year honors.
An OPSU equine athlete won the women’s Central Plains Region Horse of the Year Award. Muncy has been rounding barrels on Shut Up and Deal, more familiarly known as Smoke, for about five years. Jordan rode Smoke in the barrel racing at Casper last year, and the duo finished in fifth place. The pair’s mutual experience makes them top contenders for the barrel racing title this year.
Following is a list of the students who will compete in Casper as well as their home towns and the events they will enter.
Men
Seth Schafer from Yoder, Wyoming will compete for the third time for OPSU in Casper this year. He will work both ends of the arena in steer wrestling, saddle bronc, and tie-down roping. Because he is entered in three events, he will count as two team members. Tyrel Larsen from Inglis, Manitoba, Canada returns to represent OPSU for his second year at CNFR in the saddle bronc and bull riding. Troy Crowser, a sophomore and native of Whitewood, South Dakota, will compete in the saddle bronc. Cort Scheer, a transfer from Montana State-Bozeman, will ride in the saddle bronc competition for OPSU this year. He is originally from Elsmere, Nebraska. Jesse Jolly from Agate, Colorado will compete in the steer wrestling.
Women
Jordan Muncy, from Corona, New Mexico, heads to Casper for the second consecutive year. Only a sophomore, she will represent OPSU in all three women’s events - barrel racing, goat tying, and breakaway roping. Like Seth, she will count as two spots on the team because she will compete in three events. Katie Jolly, from Deer Trail, Colorado, will represent OPSU in the breakaway roping. Chancy Harrington, a three-year CNFR veteran, will make her final appearance for OPSU in the goat tying.
The point-counting and bragging rights start all over for the College National Finals Rodeo. The OPSU student athletes have faced tough competition all year in the Central Plains Region and are ready to take on the best of the rest in Casper in June.