A Muddy Victory this Weekend
Dawson Dahm won the Saddle Bronc Riding title this past weekend at the Fort Hays State University college rodeo. —Photo by Dale Hirschman
Hays, Kan. — Rain finally poured onto this dry land, which made for some very thankful people and very muddy boots this past weekend at the Hays, Kansas college rodeo hosted by Fort Hays State University. The Panhandle State Rodeo Team didn’t let the muddy ground affect their performances. The women’s team was fourth. The men’s team once again dominated the rodeo with 860 points.
Will Martin has been on fire this year winning all but one rodeo. Martin had a score of 72 points in the long round placing him second in the round. Martin was then 81 points in the short round to win the average and the Bareback Riding Champion title for the eighth time this year. Dylan Riggins won fourth in the long round and third in the short round placing him third in the average race.
Jade Taton had a great weekend once again. Taton won the long round in the Bareback Riding with a score of 74 points. Taton then proceeded to win fourth in the short round placing him second in the average. Thus giving Panhandle State the top three places in the average.
Taton also did well in the Saddle Bronc Riding. Taton split third place in the average along with his teammate Jake Finlay.
Also in the Saddle Bronc Riding, Dawson Dahm split second place three ways in the long round. Dahm won the short round giving him the Saddle Bronc Riding Champion title. Cooper Thatcher won the long round with a score of 71 points, but didn’t get one rode in the short round. Logan Hay won fifth in the average and Preston Ogle won sixth in the average.
Goat-tying was not an easy event this weekend in the muddy arena but the Panhandle State women showed no mercy. Kaylee Smith had an outstanding weekend splitting first in the long round with a time of 7.1 seconds. Smith then won the short round with a time of 7.0 seconds giving her the Goat-Tying Champion title. Baylee Henderson had a time of 7.7 seconds and 10.6 seconds in the short round.
Panhandle State had two men in the short round of the Tie-Down Roping. Nolan Richie split third in the long round but unfortunately got a no time in the short round. Whitt Crozier won sixth in the average.
The Bull Riding was tough this weekend but two of the four men to make it back to the short round were Panhandle State men. Dustin Martinez won second in the long round with a score of 80 points. There were no qualified rides in the short round, which therefore placed Martinez second in the average. Callum Miller won third in the long round and the average.
The Panhandle State Rodeo Team is getting ready for their own college rodeo this week in Guymon, Okla. Don’t miss a second of some of the best action in college rodeo, as the team hosts their hometown rodeo, April 26-28. Come out to the Henry C. Hitch Pioneer Arena on Thursday and Friday night at 7 p.m. and Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m. The team is looking forward to seeing everyone as they battle it out one last time before the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in June.
Tickets can be purchased at the gate and are $10 per performance or $20 for all three performances. Children 12 and under get in free. Admission for Panhandle State faculty, staff, and students is free. There will be a steer scramble for all college students that is sure to bring with it plenty of entertainment. For more information, contact Sue Etbauer at 580.349.1348 or sue.etbauer@opsu.edu.
Courtesy of OPSU