The NMHU Rodeo Team travelled to their fifth Rodeo Competition of the season in Farmington, N.M. on 11/6-11/8 to participate in the New Mexico College/ High School Challenge. The Women’s team came home with a Championship title while then men brought home the Reserve Championship Team title. When considering both teams, they combined for a Reserve Overall Team Title on the weekend.
The combination of
Dixie Richards,
Sarah Zybach,
Callie Jo Moore, and
Jackie Smith was all if took for the women to bring back a championship. They won the team title this weekend with their performance, earning 425 overall points to top the standings.
Dixie Richards won the Goat Tying event for the 3rd straight weekend with two 7.5 second runs and an 8.6 to win the average. RIchards also placed in one round and then finished up 3rd in the average of the Breakaway roping. However, these wouldn’t be the top honors she would earn as she was the #1 Top All Around Cowgirl of the whole rodeo.
Sarah Zybach had a tremendous weekend in Breakaway roping, she finished the weekend with a Championship performance in the short go posting a time of 2.9 seconds. Combining that to her previous two times and she won 1st place in Breakaway roping.
Rounding out the Cowgirls efforts was Jackie Smith. Smith had a great run on her first calf in the Breakaway roping event to place 4th in that round.
On the men’s side the team of
Dirk Tavenner,
Dustin Pool,
Jesse Estrada,
Jose Griego,
Kurtis Barry, and
Robert Martinezearned the Reserve Championship Team Title with 525 points for the weekend.
Jesse Estrada come in a close 3rd place finish with 161 points on three head in the Bareback Riding event after his strong performance. He worked hard to fight through an injured shoulder to place in all three rounds and the average.
Dirk Tavenner had an exceptional weekend after placing in all three rounds alongside Estrada this past weekend. In the event of Steer Wrestling he finished 4th in the first two rounds and then came back strong and put up a 1st place time in round three which helped clinch him the average title for the weekend.
Dustin Pool, was another Highlands Cowboy that placed in all three rounds and the average on the weekend during the Tie Down Roping event. He placed 4th in round one, won round two, finished 2nd in round three and 2nd overall in the average of the weekend earning him accolades as the Reserve All Around Champion
Pool and Robert Martinez then partnered up for a placing finish in one round of the Team Roping where NMHU saw three teams place in the event. The two Cowboys had their third straight placing finish in go round one. Leading the trio was
Grayln Elkins and Jordan Mirabal who placed in all three rounds and won the average for the weekend.
Helping the Cowboys to their Reserve Championship was Jose Griego. He had a hard fought weekend upon the backs of three bulls this weekend but overcame the challenges and placed in the second round of the Bull Riding event.
The NMHU Rodeo team will continue their season in the spring when they travel to Arizona March 5- 7 2010.