STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University’s men’s rodeo team continued its run through the fall National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southwest Region season with a first-place effort last weekend at the Clarendon College Rodeo.
Tarleton State amassed 625 points, more than 200 better than runner-up Western Texas College. The win at Clarendon is the third consecutive for the defending national champion Tarleton State men, who are tops in the NIRA Southwest Region.
Saddle bronc rider Waitley Sharon brought home a first place, and bareback rider Tuker Carricato, tie-down roper Cole Walker and steer wrestler Landris White all collected second-place finishes to pace Tarleton State.
Sharon earned a two-ride 154 on scores of 78 and 76. Carricato scored a rodeo-best 85 in the finals and finished with a two-head 160. Walker flashed a first-round 9.1 then added an 8.3 in the finals for a 17.4 total and White scored a finals-best 4.2 to go with his 6.7 in the qualifying round for a combined 10.9.
Roedy Farrell was third in bareback riding with a 157 on rides of 75 and 82 while teammate Taylor Carmody took sixth with his 67-77-144.
Coleman Shallbetter’s 72-79-151 earned fourth among saddle bronc riders. Travis Handley was sixth in the event scoring a long-go best 80 and a 69 in the finals for a combined 149 while Bailey Small’s 73-71-144 was eighth.
Brayden Roe was fifth in tie-down roping, taking a 19.1 tally on runs of 9.2 and 9.9.
Tarleton State’s women finished in a tie for ninth place over the weekend. They were led by Kaylie Garza who took top honors in breakaway roping with a two-head 3.8 on a first-round 1.7 and a 2.1 in the finals, both top times. She added a 6.4-6.3-12.7 for second in goat tying. Keni Labrum’s 6.4-6.9-13.3 was fourth in the event, followed by Emily McDeavitt’s fifth-place 6.6-6.8-13.4 and Shyanne Bauerle’s sixth-place 6.4-7.1-13.5.
Patton Lynch was fourth in barrel racing with a preliminary round best short-go 15.5 and a 15.9 for a 31.4 total.
Both teams return to action at the Texas Tech Rodeo Oct. 24-26 in Lubbock.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.