Serving the High Plains
Staff Report
The Mesalands Community College men’s rodeo team captured a bull riding championship and finished second in team standings Friday and Saturday in their first rodeo of the spring season at Cochise College in Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
“I was very pleased about our performance at the first rodeo of the semester, especially considering our practice conditions have not been ideal this winter. We have had a lot of moisture and we missed a lot of days to practice,” said Tim Abbott, Mesalands’ interim intercollegiate rodeo coach. “Our team started out really strong at the rodeo, but we didn’t close the door on some things in the short-go that definitely cost us some points.”
The men’s team finished with 530 points. Freshman Kasy Baker of Cottonwood, California, brought home the bull-riding championship title, taking first in the long round and in the average and earning 69 points. Sophomore Adriano Long of Dilkon, Arizona, took first in the short round in the bull riding event.
In bareback riding, sophomore Edmiles Harvey of Tsalini Springs, Arizona took third in the long round and third in the average with a score of 63 points.
Freshman Chace Valdez of Estancia was third in the long round in tie-down roping and took seventh in the average.
In steer wrestling, sophomore Jacob Rounds of Brooklyn, New York, was first in the long round and finished second in the average with a score of 14.4.
Team ropers freshmen Chance Hunter (header) and Tyler Sam(heeler), both of Chinle, Arizona, were second in the long round, second in the short round, and finished second in the average with a score of 15.5. Freshman Koly Ray Spears of Lovington and Valdez ended the long round in seventh.
Representing the women’s team, sophomore Skye Valdez of Estancia was third in the long round in breakaway roping and second in the average with a score of 5.1. Valdez was right behind the winner of the breakaway roping event with a score of 5.0 in the average.
"I’m so encouraged by our team’s ability to compete despite our youth. We have twice as many freshmen as any other college in our region and we compete right there with them, neck and neck,”
Abbott said. “That’s amazingly encouraging not only for this year, but for the future of our program. I’m really excited about where we are headed.”
Mesalands Rodeo Team will have two rodeo competitions next weekend at Central Arizona College in Florence, Arizona.