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The Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) Rodeo Team competed in Colby, Kan. in September for the first regular season National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) rodeo. Riders competed against schools in the Central Plains Region and eight NEO riders earned a top-ten spot. Freshman Alli Master’s, an accounting major from Leon, Iowa, led the women’s team claiminig third in breakaway roping. She was joined by Sam Vallone, a freshman pre-vet major from Ballston Spa, N.Y., who split 4/5. Adding to the freshman success was Kaitlyn Ricke, a business major from Lawton, Iowa, who took sixth in goat tying. Their effort led to the women’s team finishing sixth overall and second among two-year colleges.
The men’s team was led by Sophomore Dawson Turner, fresh off his College National Finals Rodeo bid. The ag business major from Sindey, Ark., claimed fourth overall in calf roping. Sophomore Rush Hodges took seventh in the long go for team roping. Again, freshmen had their say, with Ross McGuire, an ag business major from Webbers Falls, Okla., claiming sixth in steer wrestling. He was joined in the top ten by Henry Dean and Jaxson Davis finishing tenth in team roping. Dean is an ag business major from Glenwood, Iowa, and Davis is a construction management major from Bloomfield, Iowa.
“This was an awesome way to start our season,” said Head Coach Kolby Ungeheuer. “Having eight qualify for the finals, and four or five others just missing Sunday’s finals, gives us a great start and good momentum moving forward into our next rodeo at Durant. I’m looking forward to seeing who will rise to the top and qualify for the College National Finals this year for NEO!” The teams will compete in three more rodeos this season, heading to Durant, Okla. on October 3 – 5. For more information on the NEO Rodeo Program, contact Gentry Hutchison at Gentrsh@neo.edu. (Photo from left: Ross McGuire, Dawson Turner, Kaitlyn Ricke, Rush Hodges, Sam Vallone, Henry Dean, Jaxson Davis, Alli Masters)
