Rogers State University’s rodeo team has announced a full slate of intercollegiate competitions for the fall and spring semesters.
The rodeo team, which includes 20 students from across Oklahoma and Texas, will be competing in fall and spring events, said rodeo coach Mack Alford.
“We’ve got a lot of freshman on our team this year, but I feel good about our chances to have some students compete at the nationals this year because we’ve got some really good talent,” said Mack Alford, RSU rodeo coach. Among the RSU competitors this year are three students who were finalists in the National High School Finals Rodeo last year and three students who qualified for the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) World Show, Alford said.
Members of the 2005-06 rodeo team and their event specialties include: Jeanna Alford, freshman, Pryor, barrel racing and goat tying; Nichole Barton, junior, Atoka, breakaway roping and barrel racing; Erika Capps, freshman, Oologah, barrel racing; Lauren Chissoe, freshman, Catoosa, barrel racing; Chantz Davidson, freshman, Claremore, bull riding; John Wayne Giles, Vinita, steer wrestling and team roping; Megan Hart, freshman, Talala, barrel racing; Coby Hensley, senior, Vinita, team roping; Aaron Kern, freshman, Collinsville, team roping; Casey McGuire, freshman, Vinita, steer wrestling and team roping; Andrew McReynolds, freshman, Talala, calf roping and team roping; Marshall Perkins, freshman, Sherman, Texas, team roping; Kelly Phillipo, freshman, Inola, barrel racing; Morgan Rains, freshman, Atoka, team roping; Frank Reherman, freshman, Chandler, team roping; Dustin Smith, freshman, Owasso, team roping; Ty Smith, freshman, Edmond, calf roping; James Allen Thomas, freshman, Stilwell, steer wrestling, team roping and bronc riding; Tim Victory, freshman, Claremore, team roping; and Jessica Wang, sophomore, Locust Grove, barrel racing.
McGuire, Reherman and Smith all were finalists for last year’s National High School Finals Rodeo, while Jeanna Alford, Capps, and Phillipo qualified for the NBHA World Show competition, Mack Alford said. Additionally, team members McGuire, Smith and Victory have earned professional status as members of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), he said.
The rodeo team began competition this past weekend at Pratt (Kan.) Community College with Phillipo winning the initial long-go barrel racing competition and finishing fifth overall, based on the average results from all rounds. On the men’s side, Victory finished seventh in team roping based on his overall average.
The remaining fall events include an Oct. 14-16 event at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami and an Oct. 27-29 event at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.
Spring competitions include, by location and date: Kansas State University, Feb. 24-26; Garden City (Kan.) Junior College, March 3-5; Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, March 10-12; Oklahoma Panhandle State University, March 30-April 1; Southwestern Oklahoma State University, April 6-8; Fort Hays State University, April 21-23; Southeastern Oklahoma State University, April 27-29; and the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., June 11-17.
RSU has been competing in the Central Plains region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) events since 2001.