LEVELLAND — The South Plains College men's and women's rodeo teams will return to the arena this week at the Sul Ross State University Rodeo Sept. 27-29 in Alpine, Texas.
South Plains qualified eight for the finals a week ago at the Eastern New Mexico University Rodeo in Portales, bringing home an event title in the bareback riding event as freshman Cooper Bennett used a score of 74 in the short round to take first overall. The Texans finished fifth on the weekend with 260 team points.
South Plains' Britton Bedke and Hayden Cloward wrestled their way into the finals in tiedown roping as Bedke would end up fourth overall with 110 points including an 18.8 average following a 9.7 run in the long round followed by a 9.1 in the finals. Cloward qualified for the short round with a 10.7 run in the long round but was unable to score in the finals, ending the rodeo ninth overall.
Freshman Dawson Stewart earned a fifth place overall finish in his first rodeo for the Texans in steer wrestling, capping off the weekend with 50 points thanks to a 5.3 run in the long round, topped by a 4.8 in the finals to finish with a 10.1 average. Sophomore Cody Huwa teamed up with New Mexico Junior College' Luke Skocdopole in team roping as the duo took fourth with a 13.6 average including a 5.1 run in the finals.
Calgary, Alberta Canada native Grady Quam made the most of his first rodeo for South Plains as he paired up with Cisco's Paden Bray to place fifth in team roping, ending the weekend with 50 points thanks to a 6.9 run in the long round capped with an 8.6 in the finals, finishing with a 15.5 average. Sophomore Stefan Ramone also earned a spot in the short round, teaming up with former South Plains standout and current Tarleton State University cowboy Jhett Trenary as the two finished seventh with an overall average of 105.7 after missing in the finals.
The Lady Texans placed ninth overall a week ago with 15 points as freshman Elle Eagles finished eighth in goat tying with 15 points. Eagles turned in a long round time of 8.2 which she followed up with a 9.7 in the short round to end the weekend with a 17.9 average. Eagles also advanced to the finals in barrel racing after running a 17.97 in the long round. Eagles clipped two barrels in the finals as she ran a 28.56 to end the weekend with an average of 46.53, good enough for 10thoverall.