Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Members of the Mesalands Community College’s rodeo team enjoy Frito pies during Tuesday’s chili cook off at the college. The chili cook off was one of the rodeo’s team events that will be held throughout Stampede Week, where they meet with the public.
link Members of the Mesalands Community College’s rodeo team enjoy Frito pies during Tuesday’s chili cook off at the college. The chili cook off was one of the rodeo’s team events that will be held throughout Stampede Week, where they meet with the public.
QCS Senior Writer
The Mesalands Community College's men and women's rodeo teams are reaching out to the community by participating in events during Stampede week leading up to their fall rodeo this weekend at the Quay County Fair Grounds.
“We want the community to come out and meet the rodeo team members and get to know them one on one,” said Tim Abbott, Mesalands interim rodeo coach.
Abbott said the idea behind Stampede week is to give residents a chance to meet and get to know who they are cheering for during the rodeo. He said at 6 p.m., Thursday the rodeo team will be hosting “Meet the Stampede Day” an open practice for residents to come to the rodeo arena and watch teams practice for the upcoming rodeo on Friday and Saturday. There will be free hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy during this event.
“The team wants to be close and personal with the community,” Abbott said. “We want them to know where the members are from and know their stories of why they compete with such passion.”
Abbot said the rodeo this weekend will be one filled with a lot of excitement and great competition despite the number of competitors being down in the Grand Canyon Region this year. He said there would be 12 different community colleges and universities competing in the event including Mesalands with 150 competitors vying for an individual and team championship.
“There is no feasible reason why out teams can't finish in the top five both individually and as a team,” Abbott said. “Selfishly I am wanting a win, this year we are handing out belt buckles to the team winners and I for one would love to walk around with a championship buckle for our own event.”
Abbott said they are going to have some high quality stock brought in for the rodeo and the team members will need to be ready to rise up to the challenge. He said he is confident that each member of the men and women's team will do exactly that with the two strong performances they have turned in at earlier rodeos this season.
We all need to focus on what we need to do and have the confidence to know that we can place and win in each of our events, said Kasey Baker, bull rider from Cottonwood, California.
“I am excited about the rodeo and the fact that we have home field advantage and look forward to performing before our home town crowd,” said Riggin Dailey, team roper from Johnstown, New York.
Many of the rodeo team members are anxious for the rodeo this weekend including Mesalands women's break away and team roper Payten Frost, who is a dual enrollment student from Newkirk and will not be able to compete until she graduates from high school at the end of the current semester.
“I am ready to compete this spring as a part of the Mesalands rodeo team,” Frost said.
Frost said she knows there is a lot of good competition in the Grand Canyon Region, though it should not be tough to be competitive and win if she and the team work on being consistent and scoring points throughout the season.
Schedule of events for Stampede Week
Thursday - Meet the Stampede Day
“Meet the Stampede Day” is at 6 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Quay County Rodeo Arena. Community residents can meet the members of the 2014-2015 Mesalands Rodeo Team. There will be free hot dogs, popcorn, and cotton candy during this event and rodeo demonstrations and activities for the kids. All may wear Stampede apparel all day.
Friday - Mesalands 6th Annual Rodeo
The Rodeo Performance will begin at 6 p.m. at the Quay County Rodeo Arena.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children and seniors 55 and over. Tickets are available at the gate or at the business office at Mesalands Community College, prior to the event.
There will be free admission for Mesalands students, faculty, and staff. Must show student ID's at the gate.
Saturday - Mesalands 6th Annual Rodeo
Slack begins at 9 a.m. at the Quay County Rodeo Arena. Admission is free
Championship Performance is at 6 p.m. at the Quay County Rodeo Arena.
Tickets are $5 for adults and $2 for children and seniors 55 and over. Tickets are available at the gate or at the Business Office at Mesalands Community College, prior to the event.
There will be free admission for Mesalands students, faculty, and staff. Must show student ID's at the gate.
National Fossil Day
The Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum and Natural Sciences Laboratory, 222 Laughlin Ave., Tucumcari, will be celebrating National Fossil Day from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday with free admission.
Dr. Axel Hungerbuehler will present a lecture at 1 p.m. on “Aetosaur Specimens from Quay County.”
