Mesalands Rodeo Team starts new season with nine championship titles

September 24, 2012

After ending one of the best seasons in intercollegiate rodeo history, the Mesalands Community College’s Rodeo Team has began the new 2012-13 season off to an incredible start. The Mesalands Rodeo Team had their first rodeo competition for the Grand Canyon Region last weekend at Diné College in Tsaile, AZ, bringing home nine championship titles, including both the Men’s and Women’s Team titles.

“This is a great way to start the year!” C.J. Aragon, Mesalands Intercollegiate Rodeo Coach said. “Our Team was definitely prepared and ready for the first rodeo. I think at times freshmen are a little overwhelmed at the first rodeo, but our Team handled it really well.”

Freshman Mike McGinn from Haines, OR cinched both the Men’s All-Around Championship title and the Steer Wrestling Championship title. At the rodeo McGinn dominated in steer wrestling wining both rounds and finishing the average in 8.5 seconds, second place was far behind with a time of 16.4 seconds.

“I was excited that I won at my first college rodeo,” McGinn said. “The whole Team did really well!”

Sophomore Macy Fuller of Clarkston, WA also secured two championship tiles last weekend. Fuller was crowned the Women’s All-Around Champion and the Goat Tying Champion. She won the first round in the breakaway event and placed in the average. Fuller and teammate Daniel Munoz-Baeza from Chihuahua, Mexico, also placed in both rounds and in the average in team roping.

“I feel the rodeo was a very good start to the year,” Fuller said. “My goal this season is to make the College Finals in everything. And my main goal is to earn 3,000 points this year. I earned 1,500 points last year, so I’m trying to double it this year, setting a national record.”

Fuller was named the 2012 College National Finals Rodeo Rookie of the Year last year and contributed to the Women’s Team finishing the season fourth in the nation. Fuller will be competing at the United States Team Roping Championship National Finals of Team Roping in Oklahoma City, OK, October 20-28, 2012.

Sophomore Shelby Rita of Sunset Beach, HI, also represented the Women’s Team last weekend winning the Breakaway Roping Championship title.

The Men’s Team led the bull riding event, winning the first, second, and third rounds. Freshmen Devren Meyers of Santa Fe, NM claimed the Bull Riding Championship title.

In bareback riding freshman Edmiles Harvey of Tselani Springs, AZ, won his first intercollegiate rodeo title in bareback riding.

Other individual standings at Diné College included:

Jordan Minor
5th in the Tie-down Roping

Kit Pettigrew
6th in the Tie-down Roping

Christian Stremler
3rd Saddle Bronc Riding

Hank Fillipini
3rd in the Steer Wrestling

Hayden Moore
4th in the Steer Wrestling

Cody Heffernan
2nd place in the Bull Riding

Kody Decker
3rd place in the Bull Riding

Daniel Baeza
4th place in the Team Roping

“Overall, we had a lot of new and returning students that did well last weekend,” Coach Aragon said. “We have some momentum built up, so hopefully we can continue.”

There are 49 students on the 2012-13 Mesalands Rodeo Team representing three foreign countries, Australia, Canada, and Mexico, and 15 different states.

The next rodeo competition for the Mesalands Rodeo Team will be at Cochise College in Douglas, AZ, September 28-29, 2012.