Women’s Rodeo Team Ends Season with a Big Win

- Released by OPSU Campus Communications on 04-27-2009
By Jordan Muncy

Miami, Okla. — The final regular season rodeo of the Central Plains region was held this past weekend in Miami, Oklahoma at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The pressure was high and the action was hot as the cowboys and cowgirls gave their best shot trying to rack up enough points to qualify for the College National Finals in June held in Casper, Wyoming. With strong support from the recently titled Coach of the Year, Craig Latham, both the Oklahoma Panhandle State University men’s and women’s teams will be making that journey. The weekend was filled with non-stop, tough action, but no one could steal the team title from the Aggie women.
With Western Oklahoma State College women totaling 280 points and coming in second, the Oklahoma Panhandle State women blew away the competition with an outstanding 335 points. Several Aggies helped to make the title possible. Three qualified for Saturday night’s championship round in the goat tying event. Coming into the short round, Becky White, a regular seen in the Central Plains short rounds, placed fifth. Shancee Howell proved she meant business posting two solid times in the low eight-second range, winning the short round and tied for the first place spot in the average with fellow teammate Jordan Muncy.
Muncy posted the fastest time of the weekend in the barrel racing with a 15.50, won first in the average in that event as well, and also qualified in the breakaway roping. Katie Jolly also qualified for the short round performance in the barrel racing, finishing third in the long round in a field of tough competitors.
The men also had a good weekend coming in second place in the team standings for the weekend behind Northwestern Oklahoma State University. In the bareback riding, it was Clinton Griffis, the sole Aggie to qualify in that event. Griffis posted two qualified rides for the weekend. The only Aggie to qualify in his event, Ty Clearwater proved able to withstand some of the toughest stock around in the bull riding. Clearwater placed second in the long round and was just one of four cowboys with qualified rides.
In the saddle bronc riding, once again OPSU continued its domination with seven of the ten qualifiers. After outstanding riding all year long, Troy Crowser had the highest marked ride of the weekend with 80 points in the short round, combined with his long go put him first in the average. Also qualifying for the championship round was Townsend Prince, Tyrel Larsen, Ryan Bestol, Seth Schafer, Jesse Jolly, and Cort Scheer, who also ended up fifth in the steer wrestling average.
Two extremely happy cowboys rode out of the arena Saturday night as champions in the team roping. Those cowboys were Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s own Ryan Simons and Cody Ware. The team had a picture perfect weekend, totaling the maximum possible points of 180. The team outshined the rest of the field in the long round with a blistering 5.1 second run, and came back in the short go to again win first, also taking the average title. Also qualifying in the team roping was Tyler Lauridsen and Jesse Jolly, who placed second in the long round.
It was an action-packed weekend in Miami, Oklahoma for the final regular season rodeo of the Central Plains region, where OPSU took home five first place titles. With a trip to Casper on the way, full regional standings will soon follow. Way to go Aggies!