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The Rodeo Team at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) has had a busy spring season, competing in four rodeos in March. Notably, the NEO team competed at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Rodeo in Durant and the women’s team walked away with an overall championship and the men were runners-up. Beginning stretch in Alva, Okla., for the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Rodeo, the NEO team claimed several top-5 spots. Sophomore Mason Couch from Bronaugh, Mo., split 2/3 in calf roping and split 5/6/7 in steer wrestling. Pryor, Okla., Freshman Brent Mibb and Rose, Okla., Sophomore Griffin Passmore also split 2/3 in team roping. Hancock, Md., Freshman Trevor Naylor and Unionville, Mo., Freshman Chanse Lair joined them in team roping and placed fifth. Franklin, Ga., Sophomore Hadley Sanders rounded out the men’s top-5 finishes by splitting 5/6/7 in steer wrestling. The women were led at the event by Leon, Iowa Freshman Alli Masters, who split 3/4/5 in breakaway roping and took 8th in goat tying. The teams then traveled to Fort Scott, Kan., for the Fort Scott Community College Rodeo.
The big finish of the event was Kissimmee, Fl., Freshman Zane Kilgus, who finished first in the average in calf roping. He also split 4/5 in steer wrestling. Joining Kilgus in the top-5 were Glenwood, Iowa, Sophomore Henry Dean, who placed 2nd in team roping, Davis City, Iowa, Freshman Cash Tharp, who finished 4th in team roping, and the team roping pair of Amoret, Mo., Freshman Shane Jenkins and Willard, Mo., Freshman Wyatt Kanan, who placed 5th in team roping. The women’s team was led by Fort Scott Sophomore Hannah Hughes, who placed 5th in breakaway roping.
The NEO women had their best finish in Durant at the Southeastern Oklahoma State University Rodeo, where they walked away with the women’s championship outright, beating out SWOSU, SEOSU, and OSU, among others. Leading the team was Masters, who won breakaway roping. She was joined by Miami Freshman Jessie Ishmael, who won goat tying.
The men also had a successful night, placing 2nd overall thanks to several top-5 placements. Liberal, Mo., Sophomore Ty Kirby led the team by winning calf roping, and Mibb and Passmore placed 2nd in team roping.
NEO closed out the month in Garden City with the Garden City Community College Rodeo. At the event, Naylor won calf roping and joined with Lair to take 2nd in team roping. Kilgus again made the top-5, splitting 4/5 in steer wrestling. Ozark, Mo., Freshman Haze Wright rounded out the top-5 finishes, taking 3rd in calf roping.
“I couldn’t be more excited about how the start of the 2020-2021 rodeo season has begun! All the rodeo athletes have performed at an extremely high level at our first four competitions,” said NEO Rodeo Coach Kolby Ungeheuer. “Having over 28 students placing in the top 10 of their events in the first four rodeos is an amazing start! Winning the Women’s team title and 2nd in the Men’s team title at Durant was great way to get our season kicked off. We have a great start towards getting several qualified for the CNFR in June.” With five rodeos scheduled for April, the team will be constantly on the move. For more information about rodeo at NEO A&M College contact Ungeheuer at Kolby.ungeheuer@neo.edu. (Top Photo: Top-10 finishers for the NWOSU. Middle Photo: Sophomore Dawson Turner. Bottom Photo: Top-10 finishers from March rodeos.)
