OPSU Communications
Erika Chartrand
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Once again the Panhandle State Men’s Team dominated the rodeo as the team competed in Manhattan, Kan. at the Kansas State University Rodeo. The team earned 525 points, 85 points ahead of the runner-up team.
The Saddle Bronc Riding was especially successful as four Panhandle State men made it back to the short round. The Canadian Bronc rider, Dawson Dahm was on fire this weekend. Dahm won fourth in the long round with a score of 77 points and then proceeded to win the short round with 78.5 points earning him the 2018 Saddle Bronc Riding Champion title. The Australian bronc rider, Jake Finlay was right behind his teammate winning second in the long round with 78 points and winning third in the short round placing him second in the average. Denton Ward was also present in the short round, his combined scores helped him earn fifth place in the average race. Sam Martin was the fourth Panhandle State athlete to qualify for the short round, but failed to get a score.
The Bareback Riding title also went to the Panhandle State men’s team. Will Martin tied for second place in the long round with 72.5 points and then won the short round with 78.5 points making him the 2018 Bareback Riding Champion. Dylan Riggins tied with Will Martin in the long round and won the third place in the short round with a score of 72 points giving him the second place in the average. Jade Taton won the long round with a score of 76 points and placed sixth in the average.
On the other end of the arena, tie-down roper Zane Grigsby had a good weekend. Grigsby won fourth place both in the short round and the average in the Tie-Down Roping event.
The Women’s Team didn’t have the weekend they expected but a few Panhandle State female athletes still stood out. Shyanna Cahoy had a very successful weekend making it back in the short round in two events, Barrel Racing and Breakaway Roping. Cahoy was very consistent in the Barrel Racing placing fifth in the long round with a time of 12.75 seconds and then placed fourth in the short round with a time of 12.74 seconds earning her fourth place in the average in one of the most competitive events of the weekend. came into the Breakaway short round with a time of 3.1 seconds, but missed her calf in the short round. In the Goat Tying event, Kaylee Smith tied for the sixth place in the long round with her teammate, Sadie Latham, they both had a time of 7.0 seconds. Kaylee placed sixth in the short round, with a 7.8 second run and finished up splitting fifth/sixth in the average. Sadie’s time in the short round was too long to place in the top six, which is how far down points are given.
It’s back to the practice pen for a few weeks as the Panhandle State Rodeo Team seeks to keep the winning tradition alive as they prepare for the next rodeo on the spring schedule set for Fort Scott, Kan., on Mar. 9-11.