OPSU Rodeo Starts Spring Season at K-State
Panhandle State's rodeo team traveled to Kansas State University for their first rodeo of the spring semester. The women's team placed sixth overall while the men's team placed eighth.
Rillie Ratliff, a senior, was a leader in the Breakaway Roping to start her spring run strong. She split the win for in the long go with a 2.4-second run. In the short round, she placed second, and has the secured her with the average title for the weekend. This gave her enough points to be sitting third in the region.
Sophomore, Parker McIntyre, continued her momentum from the fall in the Goat Tying. She split seventh and eighth with a 6.8-second run in the long round to get herself another one for the weekend. She came back with fire in her eyes making a smoking run of 5.8-seconds to win the short go. McIntyre made up enough time to split second and third in the average, which has her leading the standings for the Central Plains region. Aby Black, a junior, placed sixth in the long round with a 6.7-second run, but unfortunately had a no-time in the short go.
In the Saddle Bronc Riding, senior, Bailey Small, was part of a three-way split win with a 75-point ride. In the short go, he had a tougher draw which left him placing fourth in the round and average.
On the roping end of the arena, the Pettijohn brother duo, snuck into the short go by placing ninth with a 8.5-second run. Unfortunately, they tried to be fast to make up some time and came up empty handed Sunday afternoon.
Juniors, Cooper Slavin and Cade Bell, were able to make an appearance in the Tie-Down Roping. Slavin placed sixth with a 10.5-second run, while Bell placed eleventh in the long round. Slavin drew a stronger calf making his run long and placing ninth in the short go and eighth in the average. Bell caught a speeding ticket at the line and ended tenth in the go and average.
With tough luck for some, the women's team holds on to their spot third overall all in the region while the men's team drops to seventh. The cowboys and cowgirls are taking the next week to go back to the practice pen to be ready for Fort Scott Community College on March 10-12th.
