Tarleton’s men’s rodeo team returned from Snyder, Texas, as champions of the Western Texas College Rodeo-their third-straight team title of the 2012 season-helping the cowboys maintain a No. 1 ranking in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s (NIRA) Southwest Region.

The recent team championship has allowed the Tarleton men’s team to continue to lead the point standings and vie for a trip to the College National Finals Rodeo in June, while the women’s team maintains the No. 3 spot in the region’s standings.

“The men have had a fantastic year. We would love to see them win the last two team titles and have a perfect spring semester,” said rodeo coach Mark Eakin. “They have a great chance to dominate at the CNFR. We also have a good women’s team and will hopefully move into the second place position, which will allow us to take four girls to nationals.”

Jake Self collected 150 points in the bareback riding competition, scoring 76 points in the long round and placing 3^rd. He scored 78 points in the short round splitting first and second, and splitting the average title with 154 points. Self is No. 2 in the region and has enjoyed much success early in the season.

Craig Wisehart collected 155 points after winning the long round with an 80-point ride. He also took 3^rd in the short round with a 74, and split the average with Self. Wisehart’s efforts at Western Texas propelled him to third place in the region. Richard Champion also contributed to Tarleton’s team standings with a 77-point ride in the long round, earning the cowboy a 2^nd place finish.

In the bull riding competition, only three cowboys made it past the eight-second whistle in the long round after drawing some very tough stock. Robert Rosario earned the top spot with 78 points, however, he didn’t last through the whistle in the short round but still took 2^nd in the average. With the effort, Rosario moved into the No. 12 spot in the region.

Tarleton continued having a major presence in the short round of the tiedown roping competition, and currently holds seven of the top 10 places in the Southwest Region.

Billy Bob Brown moved to the No. 5 position after he collected 110 points by finishing 4^th in the long round with a time of 9.4 seconds, 3^rd in the short round with a 10.3 second effort, and 3^rd in the average. Troy Hubbard’s time of 8.5 seconds was good enough to win the long round and propel him to the No. 7 ranking in the region. Chase Williams also had a good showing, placing 5^th in both the short round and the average. Williams is a multi-qualifier to the CNFR, in both the tiedown roping and team roping events, and is currently 2nd in the regional standings.

Kiel Rowan, a Tarleton senior who’s having a great year in two events, continues to lead the regional standings in tiedown roping and holds the No. 2 spot in steer wrestling, as well as the No. 2 ranking in the all-around cowboy division.

Tarleton’s A.J. Fuchs and Charlie Putnam combined to win the team roping long round with a blazing fast, 5.8-second run. The effort resulted in a 5^th place finish in the average, while Miles Ashton and his partner, Tate Gurney from Howard College, won 4^th in the short round and 4^th in the average.

Representing the Tarleton women, Michele Allison made great runs of 13.78 and 13.65 seconds in the barrel races. She placed 5^th in the long round, and won both the short round and the average.

Calie Turley amassed 85 points in the goat tying event by taking 5^th in the long round with her time of 7.8 seconds. She also placed 4^th in the short round with a time of 8.3 seconds, and split the third and fourth average with a 16.1. Cassie Vierstra also collected 30 points and took 4^th in the long round which resulted in a No. 2 regional ranking.

Tarleton also had several short round qualifiers at Western Texas College with good efforts, despite no points being earned. Among those qualifying were: Cade McLaughlin in tiedown roping, Brittany Bell and Shelby Irick in breakaway roping, and Chace Thompson in the team roping event.

The rodeo teams will enjoy a break from competition over the Easter weekend before traveling to their next rodeo at Howard College in Big Spring, Texas. Tarleton will conclude the 2012 campaign in Stephenville, April 19-21, when they host the 47^th annual Tarleton Stampede at Lone Star Arena.

With the men’s team having an outstanding year, and the women continuing to excel in the arena, Tarleton has its sights set on a berth in the CNFR, June 11-18, in Casper, Wyo.

For more information about the Tarleton Rodeo program and the NIRA, please visit www.tarleton.edu/rodeo or www.collegerodeo.com.