Four athletes ride their way to the top at first college rodeo
Through cold nights, dusty winds and dirty faces, the New Mexico State University rodeo team competed aggressively at the first college rodeo of the spring 2018 season in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, recently.
NMSU rodeo coach Logan Corbett said Fort Huachuca rodeo was good but not great but something to build on for the startup of the term.
“There is unlimited potential for our team this season,” Corbett said. There is no reason why we shouldn’t qualify a men’s and women’s team to the College National Finals Rodeo.”
The men’s team finished second overall and the women’s team placed fourth. Four event average winners helped to increase the teams’ overall points.
Freshman Colton Clemens from Firth, Idaho, scored a 68-point ride in the bareback riding, placing second in the first round. The following day he spurred his way into scoring a 70 in the short round tying for first. Clemens won the average in Fort Huachuca.
“It wasn’t pretty but I stayed locked in and it worked out,” Clemens said. “I can build off each week and keep it going.”
Tyler Muth, junior from Murrieta, California, wrestled the average win in the steer wrestling. He finished fourth in the first round and third in the short-go.
Savannah Montero, senior from Winnemucca, Nevada, tied a 7.7 second run in the first round in the goat tying placing her first. Montero wrapped things up in the short-go with a 7.3 second run winning both rounds and the average.
Freshman Levi Whitley from Blanco, New Mexico, rode his way to the top, covering two bulls with scores of 77 and a 70-point ride in the short-go resulting in an average win in the bull riding for the NMSU team.
“It felt great winning the bull riding,” Whitley said. “It’s about time, I struggled through the first semester and I’m feeling great for the second.”
The NMSU team has four more competitive weekends left in the season to determine who will compete at the college finals in Casper, Wyoming.
For more information on the upcoming season, contact Corbett at [email protected].
