STEPHENVILLE, Texas—Tarleton’s rodeo teams’ winning tradition continued as both the men and women qualified again for a berth in this year’s College National Finals Rodeo.

The teams ended their regular season at home in Stephenville with the annual Tarleton Stampede at Lone Star Arena where the men’s team sealed the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s (NIRA) Southwest Region title and the women’s team claimed reserve champions. Upon concluding the season, Tarleton qualifies seven men and four women for the CNFR, slated for June 15-21, in Casper, Wyo.

Tarleton’s cowboys finished the year-end regional standings with 4,995 points, ahead of reserve champion Weatherford College (3,720), while the women’s team finished 2nd with 1,700 points behind Eastern New Mexico University (2,710).

For the second-straight year senior Billy Bob Brown claimed the men’s All-Around title and also finished in 1st place among the Southwest Region’s tie down ropers. He also claimed 2nd place as the region’s reserve champion team roping header. Brown will represent Tarleton at the CNFR in both the tie down and team roping events.

Junior rough stock rider Richmond Champion dominated the bareback riding event all season and will return to the CNFR determined to win a national title in Casper. Champion finished the season as the Southwest Region title holder after collecting 1,320 points. Travis Nelson, also a junior rough stock rider, was consistent in his performances all season and finished in 3rd place in the saddle bronc event.

Colton Herrera concluded the season as the Southwest Region’s team roping heeler champion with 755 points, edging out Weatherford College’s Landon Williams (710 points) to qualify for this year’s CNFR.

Junior men’s team member Jace Melvin won his event at the Tarleton Stampede to propel him to a reserve champion title in steer wrestling and earn a trip to the CNFR.

Also qualifying for the finals rodeo is senior Shay Carroll, a past CNFR champion team roper who will pair up with partner Cole Wheeler from Weatherford College. Sophomore Russell Ilse will make his first of many CNFR appearances and will make his debut in the tie down roping event.

On the women’s side, freshman Lindsey Trammell won the Southwest Region barrel racing title after collecting 635 points this season. She heads to the finals with great momentum and determination as she prepares for her first CNFR appearance.

Senior Jaime Barrow is familiar with the Casper arena and has had great success there the past several years, and qualifies again after winning 3rd place in the region in the barrel racing event. Senior Shaylee Williams is also headed to her first CNFR, and her horse Lark has had a great track record in the Casper coliseum, which should be a fun pair to watch.

Freshman Baili Collins was the reserve champion goat tier for the region after earning 692 points, and will be focused and ready to compete against the fastest girls in the nation at the CNFR.

Tarleton Stampede Results

Super star Richmond Champion collected 145 points at the Tarleton Stampede, April 25-26, by placing 2nd in the long round with 77 points, splitting 2nd and 3rd in the short round with 78 points, and finishing 2nd in the average. Shon Gibson was 6th in the long go and 6th in the average.

Saddle bronc rider Colton Miller scored 71 points in the short go to place 2nd and 5th in the average. Travis Nelson was 63 points in the long go to place 4th and 6th in the average.

In the steer wrestling event Jace Melvin tied for 1st in the long go with a 4.6-second run, and came back with an amazing 3.8 run in the short round, and won the average. Teammate Shane Hadley tied for 1st in the long go with a 4.6-second run, but unfortunately had a steer stop and failed to get a time in the short round. 

Team roping had another exciting finish to determine who would qualified for the CNFR. Billy Bob Brown and Logan Medlin won the long go with a speedy 4.9-second run, and a 6.3 in the short round for a 3rd place finish, and 2nd in the average. Colten Herrera paired up with Weatherford College cowboy Aaron Macy with the team putting up 5.3 in the long go to finish 2nd. The pair won the short go with a 5.6, and later won the average. Shay Carroll and Cole Wheeler were 5th in the long go with 6.8 seconds, 2nd in the short go with a 5.7, and 3rd in the average. Trenton Tatom and Blaine Bennetch tied for 3rd in the long go with a 6.7-second run.

The ladies’ barrel racing provided great performances with Tarleton having six of 10 qualifiers Saturday night. Freshman Lindsey Trammell won the long go with 15.56, won the short go with a 15.57, and won the average to help her collect 180 points to propel her to a Southwest Region year-end title. Michele Allison also made great runs and finished 2nd in the long go with a 15.69 despite a little slip in the short round, but she still placed 5th in that round, and 3rd in the average. Shaylee Williams was 3rd in the long go with a 15.72, 3rd in the short go, and 2nd in the average. Casey Carter was 8th in the long go, 7th in the short go, and 8th in the average. Jamie Borrow was 9th in the long go, 6th in the short go, and 6th in the average. Shelby Pattison was 10th in the long go.

Other short round qualifiers were Brandon Confalone, Kyle Johnson, Shon Gibson, Jacob Springer, Chet Smith, Megan Walker and Balli Collins.

The team would like to thank all of the volunteers, sponsors, parents and others who helped make the 2014 Tarleton Stampede a huge success. The rodeo was once again named “Rodeo of the Year” by the Southwest Region.

For more information about Tarleton State University Rodeo, visit www.tarleton.edu/rodeo or collegerodeo.com for official results/standings and CNFR information.