Mesalands bull rider makes finals

The Mesalands Community college Rodeo team's bull rider will compete June 10-16 in the 20th College National Finals Rodeo at Casper, Wyoming.

Levi Gray from Dairy, Oregon, finished 10th in the year-end national standings and claimed the Grand Canyon Regional Reserve Championship Title in Bull Riding with 536.5 points.

"I feel very blessed to have this opportunity and I love it down here(in Tucumcari)," Gray said. "I enjoy being on the rodeo team. It's very positive and encouraging. It becomes more of a family than a team."

Gray said he has been preparing for the upcoming CNFR with Matt Hughes, Mesalands Intercollegiate Rodeo Coach. He said he wanted to train in the gym and to work on his fundamentals with Hughes.

Hughes said Mesalands Rodeo Team had some challenges this season with multiple student athletes suffering from injuries.

"Since the Mesalands Rodeo in October, I have basically been competing with four athletes on the Men's Team, out of a possible six," Hughes said.

Hughes said the team was still competing against some of the biggest teams in the nation.

"To be able to accomplish what we did this season with all of the injuries, it's still pretty amazing," Hughes said. "I'm proud of both our men's and women's teams."

The men's team was fifth and the women's team sixth in the regional year-end standings.

Scotty Bevins from Amsterdam, New York, finished the season on a high note.

Bevins took fourth place in the regional year-end standings in bareback riding. Bevins was recovering from an injury and was unable to compete this semester. Bareback rider Bailey Saunders from Greenwich, New York, also placed sixth in the regional year-end standings.

"This year we definitely spent a lot of time building up the program," Hughes said. "The structure that we want is there, we just have to continue taking it to the next level. With the recruits we have coming in and many returners next year, I have very high hopes for the Mesalands Rodeo Team next year."