Oklahoma College Rodeo Teams Come In First

SWOSU Women's Rodeo Claims First At Fort Scott

The spring rodeo season continued for Southwestern Oklahoma State University this past weekend with a trip to Fort Scott, Kan., for a rodeo hosted by Fort Scott CC. The SWOSU women came home with a first place finish while the men took fifth place.

The women's team scored 150 points to top Northeastern Oklahoma and Fort Scott, among others. They had two cowgirls place first in the average with Amy Outhier claiming the title in goat tying with a first place finish in the long round and second in the short-go. Ceri McCaffrey split third and fourth in barrel racing with a time of 13.06 in the long round before winning the short go in a time of 12.75 and the average with a combined time of 25.81.

Panhandle State topped the men's field with 475 points. Top performers of the SWOSU cowboys came in bareback riding where Yance Day and Justin Pollmiller finished near the top. Day scored a 76 on his long round ride, giving him a share of first and second, and he followed it up with a 73 in the short go for a first place split in the average. Pollmiller won the short go with a ride of 76 points and placed fourth in the average.

The rodeo teams are now off for nearly one month before hosting the SWOSU Rodeo on April 11-13 in Weatherford.

OPSU Men's Rodeo Team Finishes First At Ft. Scott

With a weekend packed full of rodeo action, the community of Ft. Scott witnessed the best of the best rodeo athletes that the Central Plains Region has to offer. The men's team of Oklahoma Panhandle State University captured the men's team title, and four individuals brought back beautiful buckles as event champions.

Shade Etbauer competed in the saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, and team roping with partner Caleb Bullock in the championship round on Sunday.

Finishing second overall in the steer wrestling with a 5.4-second run in the first go and a 5.2 in the short round, plus placing in both team roping and the saddle bronc riding in the long go, Etbauer came away as All-Around Champion.

Dusty Moore, Jessie Suazo, and Joe Frost all had success individually as well. With two consistent times of 9.2 seconds and 9.1 seconds in the tie down roping, Moore's consistency took him to the top of the leader board to secure him a first place finish. He also competed in the steer wrestling in the short round, but a little tough luck at the barrier took him out of the race.

In the breakaway roping, senior Jessie Suazo stuck it on two in 2.6 seconds and 2.8 seconds for an average time of 5.4, sealing her position as the champion breakaway roper for the weekend, just two hundredths of a second faster than the number two cowgirl. Senior Callie Schafer also made it back in the breakaway, as well as Samantha Foos and Kashly Schweer in the goat tying.

A set of rank bulls by the Rafter H Rodeo Company proved difficult for many of the bull riders this weekend. OPSU's Joe Frost was the only cowboy that managed to cover both of his bulls. With a 78, the highest marked ride of the weekend, Frost was crowned the bull riding champion.

Seven OPSU cowboys competed in the short round of the saddle bronc riding.

Clay Elliot finished second, Allen Boore was fourth, and Jake Watson and Shade Etbauer ended up in the fifth and sixth spots. The highest marked ride of the weekend was an 81 by OPSU's Jake Watson in the first round on the horse called Stuart Little, and Whit Peterson, Joe Harper, and John Stratton also competed in the short round.

The rodeo team has some time off before heading to the next one in Weatherford, Okla. on April 11.