Mesalands Rodeo Team kicks off spring season in Arizona

January 30, 2017

Over the weekend, the Mesalands Community College Rodeo Team competed at Arizona State University in Buckeye, AZ.

The Men’s Team took fourth place at the rodeo. Team roper Kyle Jurney (header) of Eunice, NM with Bobby Flores (heeler) from Cochise College, was third in the short-go round and third in the average.

In tie down roping, Garret Arnold from Strasburg, CO, were fourth in the first go-round and seventh in the average.

For the rough stock events, Scott Bevins from Amsterdam, NY, was first place in the first go-round of the bareback riding event and seventh in the average. Bevins is currently second in the Grand Canyon Regional standings. In saddle bronc riding, Wade Kane of Ellensburg, WA, covered his bronc in the short-go round. Kane is currently fifth in the regional standings.

Rebecca Darrup from Mifflinburg, PA represented the Women’s Team at last weekend’s rodeo. Darrup was 0.2 seconds away from making the short-go round in the barrel racing event and was 16th in the average. She was also only 0.1 seconds from making the short-go round in the breakaway roping event, and finished in 11th place at the rodeo.

Despite a much earlier start to the spring season, Staci Stanbrough, Interim Intercollegiate Rodeo Coach and Animal Science Faculty at Mesalands, says the Mesalands Rodeo Team will continue to practice and prepare for the upcoming rodeos competitions.

“Throughout the month of February our game plan is to keep on keeping on,” Coach Stanbrough said. “The main focus for the remainder of the spring semester is to have as many Mesalands student athletes qualify for the college finals (College National Finals Rodeo) as possible, and to have continued improvement in skill and confidence throughout the entire Mesalands Rodeo Team.”

Coach Stanbrough also said she appreciates all of the assistance she has received with the Mesalands Rodeo Team.  She said specifically she wanted to thank Jerry Koile and Paul Leonard, Farrier Science Faculty at Mesalands Community College, for their help with rodeo practice.

The Mesalands Rodeo Team has six remaining rodeo competitions for the season. The next rodeo will take place at Cochise College in Ft. Huachuca, AZ, March 4-5, 2017.