Rodeo team has strong showing at A&M competition

The Sam Houston State womens rodeo team won first place and the mens team finished sixth at College Station March 8-10.For two consecutive years weve won the championship at A&M, head coach Roger Walters said about the womens team. I dont know anyone who could say they had the championship team two years in a row. All the girls did an excellent job, and Im very proud of them.The womens team, which consisted of Brooke Oden, Morgan Figueroa, Kelly Singleton and Nikki Thomas, earned a combined 220 points in barrel racing and goat tying. Their finish advanced the team to eighth place from 13th place in national standings.Weve got some awesome girls, Walters said. Of the 10 coming back in the short round (in barrel racing), we had three come back in first, third and fifth, and in the average, we won first and second. You cant ask for anything better than my barrel racers. For the mens team, which consisted of Yvan Jayne, Cody Smith, Bradley Fife, Britt Walters, Justin Macha and Corey Sanchez, Jayne tied for third in bareback riding and Fife tied for third in bull riding.My men did a pretty fair job, Walters said. Some of them didnt draw an animal in the short round that they could win on, and some of them didnt perform up to their capabilities.Individually, four students placed within the top four, winning second place in calf roping, second in steer wrestling and fourth in team roping.Despite the overall success of the team, there was one casualty, according to Walters. Team member Mary Moore cracked her ankle when she fell with her horse.I dont think she found out about it until the next day. Shes pretty tough. She may even try to ride with a cast, Walters said. SHSU now has 20 students ranked in the regional standings and six ranked in the national standings. The top 10 in each event go to the playoffs that will ultimately lead to the College National Finals Rodeo.I think we have 15 in the top 10 right now, Walters said. Fifteen is a lot to represent Sam Houston in the playoffs. I dont think any other school has that many.The team is now buckling down for the next rodeo, March 29-31 in Hubbard, where rodeo conditions may be poor if it rains, according to Walters.Every time we practice we do an anti-rain dance, Walters said. Its black land there, and if it rains, the conditions are poor and its dangerous. Were practicing hard on some new livestock.