OPSU Communications
Erika Chartrand
GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State University Rodeo Team competed in Garden City, Kansas this past weekend. This was the first rodeo of a very busy month of April, as the team will be traveling to rodeos the next three weekends. The men’s team won third and the women’s team tied for third this past weekend. The red and blue vests were all over the short round with competitors in every event but the barrel racing.
Jade Taton did not disappoint again this weekend, bringing back the bareback riding title. Taton won the long round with a score of 74 points. He then won second in the short round with a score of 70 points, making him the average winner.
Taton along with three other Panhandle State cowboys were present in the saddle bronc riding short round. Taton won third in the long round with a score of 77 points, but unfortunately did not get a score in the short round. Tanner Hayes had a score of 71 points in the long round, placing him sixth in the round. Hayes turned in the third highest score in the short round and won third in the average. Denton Ward and Cody Ballard also made the short round.
Trey Hall was the only Panhandle State cowboy to make it back in the tie-down roping. Hall had a time of 13.1 seconds in the long round, but got a no time in the short round.
Two of our cowgirls made it back in the breakaway roping. Linzie Van Horn had a time of 3.0 seconds in the long round, but unfortunately had no luck in the short round. Freshman, Ayvree Smith, turned in a time of 3.1 seconds in the long round on the well-known stud belonging to Robert Etbauer, Rambo. Smith unfortunately missed in the short round.
Quint Bell, the younger of the two Bell brothers, represented Panhandle State in the steer wrestling. Quint turned in a time of 5.8 seconds in the long round and the same time in the short round. His consistency placed him fifth in the average.
It was another successful weekend in the goat tying. Senior, Kaylee Smith, won the event title. Smith won third in the long round with a time of 6.7 seconds. Smith then proceeded to make the fastest time of the entire rodeo, 6.2 seconds to crown her the average champion. Sierra Smith also had a great weekend. Sierra had a time of 7.1 seconds in the long round and 6.8 seconds in the short round putting her in a tie for the fifth place in the average. Beau Peterson was also in the short round. Beau came in with a time of 7.4 seconds in the long round and had a time of 7.2 seconds in the short round.
Sam Martin made the short round in the team roping with his older brother and Panhandle Alumni, Will Martin. The Martin brothers won fourth in the long round with a time of 6.3 seconds and third in the short round with a time of 6.7 seconds, giving them the second place in the average.
The bull riding was one of the toughest weekends we’ve seen in a while. Dustin Martinez tied for sixth place with a score of 74 points in the long round. Martinez scored 82 points in the short round, which put him third in the round and third in the average.
The team will be back in Goodwell for a very brief moment, as they get ready to leave for Weatherford, Okla. this weekend. The team will take advantage these few days of practice to come back even stronger in the next rodeo and keep the winning tradition alive!