Pictured above: Northeast Texas Team Ropers pictured are Ben Hutchison and Laramie Chadwick.
By: Justin Hargrove, NTCC Assistant Athletic Director
Northeast Texas Community College hosted the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern region Rodeo October 16 and 17 at the Mount Pleasant Rodeo Association Priefert Arena in Mount Pleasant.
The weather was great as was the Wing Rodeo Company animal stock providing a great two days of Rodeo. The Saddle Bronc competition saw the broncs win, with only one qualified ride on the weekend.
Tim Murphy of Hill College scored an 82-point ride to win the Bareback competition, while teammate Parker Fleet was the only cowboy to make 8 seconds on a bronc to win the Saddle Bronc competition with a score of 70. Seth Rustin of Panola College tied with Chris Villanueva of Sam Houston to split the top spot in Bull Riding with 77 points each. Kase Bacque of Sam Houston State University won the Tie Down roping with a time of 8.7 seconds. Mount Pleasant Native Kincade Henry of Panola brought home a third-place finish in tie down roping. Former NTCC Eagle, Slate Wiseman of Sam Houston State University won the steer wrestling competition with a 3.7 second run. Team Ropers Reno Stoebner of Southwest Texas Junior College and partner Colt Brittain of Hill College took the top spot in the Team Roping Event.
On the women’s side Hannah Phillips of Sam Houston won the Breakaway roping with a lightning fast 2.9 seconds to top the competition. Lacey Bruening topped all competitors in the Goat Tying event to win first place with a 6.9 second run. The top spot in the Barrel Race went to Emma Smith of Texas A&M University.
Kincade Henry placed in two events, Tie Down and Team Roping to bring home the Men’s All-Around Top Cowboy while, Kamryn Duncan of McNeese State University took the Women’s All Around with outstanding performances in Goat tying and Breakaway roping.
NTCC Bull Rider Sean Garner brought home a third-place finish with a 73-point ride. Garrett Fields tie down time of 9.9 seconds earned him a fourth-place finish in Tie Down Roping.
Northeast Texas Community College competes in the Southern region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association with Hill College, Louisiana Tech University, Louisiana State University-Alexandria, McNeese State University, Panola Junior College, Sam Houston State University, Southwest Texas Junior College, Stephen F. Austin University, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M University-Commerce, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Trinity Valley Community College, and Wharton County Junior College. In addition to these schools we had athletes from Baylor University and Tarleton State University competing here in Mount Pleasant this weekend.
The Eagle Rodeo team was to head to Lake Charles, Louisiana for the McNeese State Rodeo next but that Rodeo was moved to the spring semester and now will head to Conroe, Texas November 13 and 14 for the next collegiate Rodeo hosted by Sam Houston State University.
