OPSU Rodeo Earns Top Honors While Keeping CNFR Dreams Within Reach

Panhandle State kept its CNFR dreams within reach by gaining points for both the men's and women's teams. Junior, Aby Black, led the women's team with her win for the All-Around Cowgirl title to a fourth-place finish. The men's team placed sixth overall at Fort Hays State University rodeo.

During the weekend, Women's Coach, Shelbie Rose, was voted Coach of the Year. This is the third consecutive year that Coach Rose has earned this recognition from her region.

Senior Evan Meashaw was nominated to be the Central Plains Region nominee for the prestigious Walt Garrison Award. The award is voted on based on loyalty, determination, integrity, initiative, perseverance, commitment, and leadership which has proven to be an asset to their institution.

Head Coach, Robert Etbauer, commented, "Shelbie and Evan are both big assets to our program. They're always ready to go whenever and wherever we need them, and they're a lot of fun to be around. Whether it's showing up to help or just picking rocks up out of the arena, they'll be there. These two love their sport and their community. They are both a true cowboy and cowgirl!"

Coach Rose commented, "Being nominated for the Walt Garrison is a huge honor. I can't think of a better person than Even Meashaw. He embodies what the Walt Garrison Award stands for. He is a huge benefit to our program."

Aby Black snagged her All-Around title placing in the Breakaway Roping and Goat Tying. Black was the lone Aggie in the Breakaway. She split tenth through twelfth in the long go with a 3.3-second run. Although Black came in as the underdog, she made sure to make a smart run with a 3.7-second run which placed her fifth in the short go, and ended up splitting fifth and sixth in the average.

Black and her teammate, Parker McIntyre, were hanging in the fight to break the top three in the Goat Tying with one weekend left of the season. Black won the long round with a 7.7-second run which McIntyre was just a little behind splitting fifth and sixth with an 8.4-second run. Black had tough luck on her tie which resulted in a no-time. McIntyre stayed consistent with an 8.5-second run placing third in the short go and placing second in the average.

Senior, Bailey Small, has kept his momentum for the spring going making an appearance in the Saddle Bronc Riding and Team Roping at the FHSU rodeo this weekend. Small placed seventh behind fellow senior, Caleb Newell, who placed second with a 79-point ride. While Newell failed to make the whistle, Small made the most of his short-go draw with an 81-point ride. Small placed second in the go and fifth in the average.

In the Team Roping, Small and junior, Carson Webb, were 8.1 seconds on their steer splitting seventh and eighth in the long round. Ry Clark, senior, was right in front of them in sixth place for the long round with a 7.5-second run with partner, Jacob Haren from NWOSU. Unfortunately, Clark and Haren came up empty in the short go, but Small and Webb made a business run to place fifth in the short go and average.

Aggies prepare to go into the final rodeo of the year where they will have home-court advantage at the Doc Gardner Memorial Rodeo at Hitch Arena in Guymon. As they go into the last weekend the women's team is sitting fourth while the men's team is seventh.

For the women's team, Rille Ratliff sits fourth in the region just 20 points out of being in the top three for the Breakaway Roping. Teammates, Tori Kunz, and McKenna Brennan will need to dominate this weekend if they want to make their trip to Casper in June. McIntyre is tied for first in the Goat Tying for the region with Brennan in third only 5 points behind the top two. It will be a photo finish in this event to see who wins the region and who gets to represent OPSU in Casper.

For the men's team, Small looks to have another solid weekend to secure his spot which is currently second for the region in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Brett Coffman and Newell will have a chance but will need to be laser-focused if they want to make a trip to Casper. Eduardo Aguilar will need to cover his bulls to move from fourth into the top three in Bull Riding.

Make sure to come cheer on the Aggies from April 27th through 29th, as the whole region comes together to see who will make the trip to the College National Final Rodeo in June.