Fourteen members of the Weatherford College rodeo team qualified for the final round at the Sul Ross State University Rodeo in Alpine this past weekend. The women's team finished in second place, and the men's team came in fifth.
National champions Bradi Good and Brie Wells garnered all 300 of WC women's points in barrel racing. Wells won second in the opening round with a run of 16.06 and in the short go she had the fastest run of the entire weekend in a field of 151 barrel racers with a run of 15.96. Her 32.02 took home the barrel racing championship.
Good won third in the first round with a run of 16.11, came back with a 16.10 for second in the finals and her 32.21 finished third just one-tenth of a second off second place.
WC was represented well in tie down roping with four members qualifying for the short go for the second week in a row. This week freshman Avery Matheson tied for the overall championship. Matheson won third in the first round with an 8.2 run, came back and made the fastest run of the entire weekend 7.5-second run to win the short round, and his 15.7 tied for first in the aggregate. Zaine Mikita finished fifth, Thane Lockhart sixth and Cole Clemons ninth after tying for first in the opening round.
In bareback riding, Bubba Holcomb won third in the first round with a score of 77, came back in the finals with a 76-point ride for a third-place tie, and his 153 on two was good for third overall.
Colton Greene was 4.6 in the opening round of steer wrestling for seventh place, came back and won sixth with a 4.9 and finished sixth overall throwing two steers in 9.5 seconds.
In saddle bronc riding, Cable Wareham tied for fourth in the opening round with a score of 80 points, came back with a 75-point ride good for fourth, and his overall 150 points were good for fourth overall.
Freshman team ropers Jett Stewart and Cashton Weidenbener placed fifth in the first round with a run of 5.5, came back with a 10.3 good for fifth in the finals, and their 15.8 was good for fifth overall.
Reigning national champs Riley Kittle (Cisco) and Jace Helton tied for third in the opening round with a 5.2-second run but suffered a no time in the finals. They still managed a tie for sixth overall with a 5.2 on one head. The duo tied for third overall at Portales last week.
In bull riding, Dawson Gleaves won fourth in the opening round with a score of 68 and finished fourth overall.
WC had six team members compete in the first-ever national finals of steer roping – college division event. Sul Ross hosted the first qualifier of the season, and 18-time world champion steer roper Guy Allen was on hand for a clinic after the qualifying event. To qualify for the CNFSR a member needs to win 100 points.
Cayden Harmon won 158 points in Alpine and is currently sitting in third place while Tyler Espenson picked up 80 points, Catcher Gasperson won 50 points and Cash Fretwell won 32 points. Trent Sorey and Raesch Casebolt also competed in the first-ever college steer roping.
The fourth annual WC Alumni Rodeo is Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Parker County Sheriff Posse Grounds starting at 7 p.m. The team's next competition is the Clarendon College Rodeo Oct. 13-15.