STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Tarleton State University’s women’s rodeo team amassed 425 points to claim first place at the weekend Vernon College Rodeo, the final National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region stop of the fall season.
Tarleton State scored top finishes in all three women’s events with Tori Brower taking first in goat tying, Jordan Driver winning barrel racing and Gina Cope earning top honors in breakaway roping.
Brower finished with a two-round 14.9 second time on runs of 7.6 and 7.3 in Vernon. Teammate Driver flashed a preliminary-round best 17.14 then added a 17.07 best in the finals. Cope’s 3.2-5.5-8.7 also included top times in the long and short go rounds.
Other top 10 finishers for Tarleton State included breakaway ropers Libby Merkley, who turned in a first-round 3.6, and Keni Labrum, who had a long-go 3.7.
Hadley Tidwell’s 17.37-17.62-34.99 was fifth in barrel racing, one of four top 10 Tarleton State women in the event. Kaycee Thomas took ninth with her 17.33-23.14-40.47 and Lindsey-Kay Reichert finished 10th with a 17.56-22.94-40.5.
Tarleton State’s men took runner-up honors in Vernon, led by bareback riders Roedy Farrell and Taylor Carmody and saddle bronc riders Travis Handley and Bailey Small.
Farrell and Taylor swept the two top places in their event. Farrell was first with a two-head 163.5, which included a long-go best 82. Taylor’s second-place 158.5 came on scores of 72.5 and 77 for a 149.5 total. Taking fifth in the event was Devon Moore who accumulated 137 points on rides of 65 and 72.
Top saddle bronc rider Handley scored a rodeo-best 85 in Saturday’s event finals to go with his 78.5 in the first go-round, while Small was reserve champion with his 76-82.5-158.5. Waitley Sharon’s 76.5-79-155.5 was fifth.
Tarleton State tiedown roper Colton Suther’s 8.9-10.1-19.0 was sixth, Brayden Roe was eighth on the strength of his 9.0-12.1-21.1, and Colter Ellis finished ninth on a two-head 21.4, featuring runs of 8.7 and 12.7 seconds.
Bull rider Riggen Hughes took eighth with a first go 75, and steer wrestler Teel Sikes posted a ninth on his opening go-round 9.4.
Both Tarleton State teams head into the winter break leading the NIRA Southwest Region team standings.
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.