OPSU Rodeo Team Holds Steady Heading Into Hometown Rodeo
April 19, 2022
Panhandle State's rodeo team kept a steady hand as they competed at Fort Hays State University over Easter weekend with the women's team placing second and the men's team third. Junior, Mckenna Brennan, continues to dominate as she brought home her third All-Around title of the semester. Women's Coach, Shelbie Rose, was named Coach of the Year by the Central Plains region, and senior, Quint Bell, had his impressive horse, Pepper, named Horse of the Year.
Brennan was the only Aggie to make it back under the Saturday night lights in the Breakaway. In the long round, she roped her calf in 2.8-seconds to split fifth through eighth. She made a smart run in the short go to place fourth which moved her to fourth in the average.
Kelsey Hallin, a senior, joined Brennan in the Goat Tying by placing second in the long round with a 7.8-second run. Brennan snuck into the short go by splitting ninth through eleventh on a tough draw. Brennan knew she had to be fast to gain average points and won the short go with a 7.8-second run. Hallin had a cushion in time to make a solid run of 8.7-seconds placing sixth. Brennan and Hallin split second and third in the average.
Sydney Frey, a junior, was a force to be reckoned with in the long round in the Barrel Racing winning the go with a 16.37-second run. Right behind her was senior, Savanna Morgan, splitting fourth and fifth with a 16.56-second run. Junior, Sydney Bottom, grabbed her spot in the short go splitting tenth and eleventh. Bottom stayed consistent with a 16.74-second run placing sixth in the round and average. Morgan was right behind Bottom placing seventh in both the round and average. Frey had a down barrel which gave her a 5-second penalty moving her to ninth in the round and average.
Kelly Murnion, a senior, made his appearance in all three rough stock events. Although he was the lone Aggie in the Bull Riding and Bareback Riding, Murnion held his own. He won the long round of the Bull Riding with a 75-point ride but fell short in the short go receiving a no score. He was able to still place fourth in the average. In the Bareback Riding, Murnion split eighth through tenth to get his chance at a second horse in the short go. He marked 75-points splitting second and third in the round and split sixth through eighth in the average.
Murnion was accompanied by fellow teammates in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Senior, Ean Price, and junior, Cade Bell, split fourth and fifth in the long round with 72-point rides. Ira Dickinson, a senior, was a point behind them placing sixth with sophomore, Brett Coffman, placing seventh with a 70-point ride. Murnion slid into tenth place to make it back on a hard draw. Price and Dickinson kept their eyes on the prize marking 76-points and 75-points to place them second and third respectively in the short go. Price moved to third in the average while Dickinson placed fourth. Bell made a solid ride for 70-points placing sixth in the go and average. Murnion redeemed himself in the short go with a 69-point ride placing eighth in the round and average. Coffman failed to make the buzzer which placed him tenth in the average.
At the roping chutes, freshman, Tom Simpson, continues to bring the heat to the Tie-Down Roping this semester. He placed ninth and tenth in the long round behind seniors, Quint Bell and Colton Reed. Reed made a run of 11-seconds placing third while Bell was 12.2-seconds splitting sixth and seventh. Simpson was the underdog going into the short go so he made a fast run of 11.4-seconds to place second and grab fourth in the average. Bell got a speeding ticket at the barrier giving him a 10-second penalty putting him eighth in the round and the average. Reed came up empty-handed putting him last in the average.
Cooper Slavin, a sophomore, grabbed his steer by the horns in the Steer Wrestling with a 5.7-second run to place second. Cade Bell made his second appearance in the short go after splitting ninth and tenth in the long round. Bell looked to move up in the average when he made a 6.9-second run to place third in the go and fourth in the average. Slavin couldn't stop the clock which put him seventh in the average.
Both cowboys and cowgirls for the Aggies made appearances in the team roping. Senior, Trevor Meier, placed second with partner Colton Bond from Garden City Community College. Behind him was fellow senior, Mitch Bazzell, and junior Ryler Allred placing fourth with an 8.6-second run. Junior, Wade Pettijohn placed fifth with his partner from Garden City Community College, Tate Hurley. Denver McGill, a freshman, turned a steer for All-Around cowgirl Brennan for her third appearance in the short go. Together they stopped the clock at 9.7-seconds splitting seventh and eighth. The duo of Bazzell and Allred made a business run of 13.7-seconds to place third in the short go and the average. Penalties in the run put Pettijohn and Hurley fifth in the go and overall. Meier, McGill, and Brennan, unfortunately, received no times, but Meier's team snagged seventh in the average while the duo of McGill and Brennan were eighth overall.
OPSU Aggies will have this weekend to regroup before they host the final rodeo of the year for the Central Plains region. At the end of Panhandle State's rodeo, the Top 2 teams in the men's and women's standings as well as the Top 3 individuals in each event will secure their spots to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. The men's team will go into the final rodeo sitting third in the region with only 120.83 points difference while the women's team sits fourth with 265 points separating them. Mckenna Brennan continues to lead the Women's All-Around for the year-end. Ean Price sits second while Ira Dickinson holds on tight hoping to overcome the 92.5 points between third and fourth in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Senior, TJ Schmidt sits second in the Bull Riding for hopes of his second trip to Casper. Tom Simpson sits second in the region in the Tie-Down Roping. In the Breakaway Roping, it'll be a tight race when they round out Saturday night. Brennan sits second with only 32.5 points between her and the number one spot while senior, Beau Peterson sits third with 70 points difference from first and third looking for another trip to Casper after being hurt mid-season last year. Brennan leads the Goat Tying with a strong chance of taking home the year-end title.
Panhandle State will be at the Hitch Pioneer Arena in Guymon on April 28th and 29th at 7 pm and the short go will be April 30th at 2 pm. Be sure to come out and watch as the Aggies lay it all out on the line to make it to the CNFR!
Brennan was the only Aggie to make it back under the Saturday night lights in the Breakaway. In the long round, she roped her calf in 2.8-seconds to split fifth through eighth. She made a smart run in the short go to place fourth which moved her to fourth in the average.
Kelsey Hallin, a senior, joined Brennan in the Goat Tying by placing second in the long round with a 7.8-second run. Brennan snuck into the short go by splitting ninth through eleventh on a tough draw. Brennan knew she had to be fast to gain average points and won the short go with a 7.8-second run. Hallin had a cushion in time to make a solid run of 8.7-seconds placing sixth. Brennan and Hallin split second and third in the average.
Sydney Frey, a junior, was a force to be reckoned with in the long round in the Barrel Racing winning the go with a 16.37-second run. Right behind her was senior, Savanna Morgan, splitting fourth and fifth with a 16.56-second run. Junior, Sydney Bottom, grabbed her spot in the short go splitting tenth and eleventh. Bottom stayed consistent with a 16.74-second run placing sixth in the round and average. Morgan was right behind Bottom placing seventh in both the round and average. Frey had a down barrel which gave her a 5-second penalty moving her to ninth in the round and average.
Kelly Murnion, a senior, made his appearance in all three rough stock events. Although he was the lone Aggie in the Bull Riding and Bareback Riding, Murnion held his own. He won the long round of the Bull Riding with a 75-point ride but fell short in the short go receiving a no score. He was able to still place fourth in the average. In the Bareback Riding, Murnion split eighth through tenth to get his chance at a second horse in the short go. He marked 75-points splitting second and third in the round and split sixth through eighth in the average.
Murnion was accompanied by fellow teammates in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Senior, Ean Price, and junior, Cade Bell, split fourth and fifth in the long round with 72-point rides. Ira Dickinson, a senior, was a point behind them placing sixth with sophomore, Brett Coffman, placing seventh with a 70-point ride. Murnion slid into tenth place to make it back on a hard draw. Price and Dickinson kept their eyes on the prize marking 76-points and 75-points to place them second and third respectively in the short go. Price moved to third in the average while Dickinson placed fourth. Bell made a solid ride for 70-points placing sixth in the go and average. Murnion redeemed himself in the short go with a 69-point ride placing eighth in the round and average. Coffman failed to make the buzzer which placed him tenth in the average.
At the roping chutes, freshman, Tom Simpson, continues to bring the heat to the Tie-Down Roping this semester. He placed ninth and tenth in the long round behind seniors, Quint Bell and Colton Reed. Reed made a run of 11-seconds placing third while Bell was 12.2-seconds splitting sixth and seventh. Simpson was the underdog going into the short go so he made a fast run of 11.4-seconds to place second and grab fourth in the average. Bell got a speeding ticket at the barrier giving him a 10-second penalty putting him eighth in the round and the average. Reed came up empty-handed putting him last in the average.
Cooper Slavin, a sophomore, grabbed his steer by the horns in the Steer Wrestling with a 5.7-second run to place second. Cade Bell made his second appearance in the short go after splitting ninth and tenth in the long round. Bell looked to move up in the average when he made a 6.9-second run to place third in the go and fourth in the average. Slavin couldn't stop the clock which put him seventh in the average.
Both cowboys and cowgirls for the Aggies made appearances in the team roping. Senior, Trevor Meier, placed second with partner Colton Bond from Garden City Community College. Behind him was fellow senior, Mitch Bazzell, and junior Ryler Allred placing fourth with an 8.6-second run. Junior, Wade Pettijohn placed fifth with his partner from Garden City Community College, Tate Hurley. Denver McGill, a freshman, turned a steer for All-Around cowgirl Brennan for her third appearance in the short go. Together they stopped the clock at 9.7-seconds splitting seventh and eighth. The duo of Bazzell and Allred made a business run of 13.7-seconds to place third in the short go and the average. Penalties in the run put Pettijohn and Hurley fifth in the go and overall. Meier, McGill, and Brennan, unfortunately, received no times, but Meier's team snagged seventh in the average while the duo of McGill and Brennan were eighth overall.
OPSU Aggies will have this weekend to regroup before they host the final rodeo of the year for the Central Plains region. At the end of Panhandle State's rodeo, the Top 2 teams in the men's and women's standings as well as the Top 3 individuals in each event will secure their spots to the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. The men's team will go into the final rodeo sitting third in the region with only 120.83 points difference while the women's team sits fourth with 265 points separating them. Mckenna Brennan continues to lead the Women's All-Around for the year-end. Ean Price sits second while Ira Dickinson holds on tight hoping to overcome the 92.5 points between third and fourth in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Senior, TJ Schmidt sits second in the Bull Riding for hopes of his second trip to Casper. Tom Simpson sits second in the region in the Tie-Down Roping. In the Breakaway Roping, it'll be a tight race when they round out Saturday night. Brennan sits second with only 32.5 points between her and the number one spot while senior, Beau Peterson sits third with 70 points difference from first and third looking for another trip to Casper after being hurt mid-season last year. Brennan leads the Goat Tying with a strong chance of taking home the year-end title.
Panhandle State will be at the Hitch Pioneer Arena in Guymon on April 28th and 29th at 7 pm and the short go will be April 30th at 2 pm. Be sure to come out and watch as the Aggies lay it all out on the line to make it to the CNFR!
