STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Bareback rider Roedy Farrell, saddle bronc rider Coleman Shallbetter and goat tyer Tori Brower each captured first place as Tarleton State University’s men’s and women’s rodeo teams swept top honors at the Odessa College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) spring season opener over the weekend.
Farrell, who scored a 168.5 on rides of 86.5 and 82 points, and Shallbetter, who posted a two-head 167.5, including a finals-best 84, led Tarleton State to a 585-point first-place outburst.
Brower flashed twin 5.8 times for an event-best 11.6 to pace the women’s 270-point effort.
Tarleton State saddle bronc riders snagged five of the event’s top seven spots. Following Shallbetter were Montgomery Parsons, who took third with his 83-79-162, fourth-place Waitley Sharon with an 81.5-79.5-161; a fifth-place 81.5-79-160.5 from Gus Gaillard and Cauy Masters’ seventh-place 74-79-153.
Steer wrestler Landris White turned in an 11.5 total on runs of 5.5 and 6 seconds; Mason Spain was fourth in bull riding with a two-head 152 on rides of 74 and 78 points; and Wyatt Crandall’s 9.6-10.0-19.6 was fifth in tie-down roping.
Four Tarleton State goat tyers were in the top five at Odessa as Brooklyn Balch turned in a 12.0 on runs of 6.1 and 5.9 for third and Keni Labrum posted a 6.6-6.3-12.9 to tie with teammate Rylee Abel’s 6.2-6.7-12.9.
Hadley Tidwell was just a tenth of a second off the lead in the barrel racing finals, taking second with a 14.06-13.89-27.95. Balch’s 14.04-13.97-28.01 was good for fourth.
Breakaway roper Kallyn Snedecor’s 2.1 in the long go was a rodeo best. When added to her
12.1 in the finals, it gave her a two-head 14.2 and sixth place. Mallorie Fewell’s 12.8-2.3-15.1 was good for eighth.
Both Tarleton State teams are atop the NIRA Southwest Region standings with four stops remaining on the spring schedule. They will next see action in the March 27-29 Ranger College Rodeo in Sweetwater.
