Fall rodeo scores record attendance

One Mesaland Community College rodeo athlete managed ornery animals well enough to qualify for championship rounds Saturday, but even he did not score in Saturday night's deciding contests as Mesalands hosted the Grand Canyon Region Intercollegiate Fall Rodeo Friday and Saturday.

A second Mesalands rodeo team member unofficially scored what would have been one of the best bull rides during informal competition Saturday between Mesalands and New Mexico State University (NMSU).

Scotty Bevins of Amsterdam, New York, a Mesalands sophomore, qualified for the championship round in bareback riding, but an injured arm disabled him for the championship round.

Kenneth "Blue" Wilcox of Greenbrier, Arizona, a Mesalands sophomore, earned 82 points, which would have earned him second place, in bull-riding during a friendly competition between Mesalands and NMSU after regulation competition Saturday.

Mesalands, however, scored big as the host of the event that featured rodeo athletes from 10 community and four-year colleges, and universities.

"I think the rodeo went great," Thomas Newsom, Mesalands' president, said. "The weather was fantastic and we had record attendance and record sponsorships, from our entire community. This was definitely one of the best rodeos we have had in the last 10 years."

Attendance for both nights at the Quay County Fairgrounds rodeo grounds neared 500 total.

Friday night's preliminary rounds drew 184 spectators. Saturday night's championship round drew 293 rodeo fans.

Besides Mesalands and NMSU, other participants included:

Adams State University, Central Arizona College, Navajo Technical University, Northland Pioneer College, Cochise College, Dine College, New Mexico Highlands University and the University of Arizona.

The overall winning school was Central Arizona College with 630 points, according to the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Here are the first-place winners in each event, according to the rodeo association:

• Men's all around: Clay Elkington, Central Arizona College, 290 points.

• Women's all around: Baylee Johnston, NMSU, 250 points.

• Saddle bronc: Xavier Hunt, Dine College, 55 points

• Bareback riding: Cauy Pool, NMSU, 132 points

• Bull riding: Justin Neill, NMSU, 82 points.

• Tie-down roping: Clay Elkington, Central Arizona College, 24.6 points

• Steer wrestling: Tyler Muth, NMSU, 11.7 time and points.

• Team roping header: Tyler Nowlin, University of Arizona, 14.2 points.

• Team roping heeler: Jacob Auza, University of Arizona, 14.2 points.

• Barrel racing: Anna Barker, NMSU, 34.93 points.

• Breakaway roping: Lakota Bird, Central Arizona College, 6.5 seconds.

• Goat tying: Alexa Smith, Cochise College, 13.6 seconds