Team title up for grabs

The Mesalands rodeo team has vastly improved this season. Trouble is, the teams in the entire region have improved greatly, as well.

That's why the team title is up for grabs at the 12th annual Mesalands Community College Grand Canyon Region Intercollegiate Rodeo that begins Friday at the Quay County Fairgrounds rodeo arena. Saturday night is the championship round.

Rodeo performances begin at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with a slack performance at 9 a.m. Saturday. Nightly admission will be $5 for adults, $2 for senior citizens and free for children younger than 12 accompanied by an adult. Mesalands students, staff and faculty also are admitted free. The slack session Saturday morning is free. The rodeo should last about two hours each night.

Competing this weekend will be teams from the University of Arizona, New Mexico State University, Central Arizona College, Dine College, Cochise College and Navajo Technical University, plus a few small colleges and independent athletes. Central Arizona leads the regional standings.

"We're definitely right there with the best of them," Mesalands coach Matt Hughes said. "Overall, our team is twice as strong as it was last year. If I can get my timed-event teams and my roughstock teams to both do their jobs, we'll win the rodeo. We've got all the ingredients; we just have to put it together and make it happen.

"But the whole region got a lot tougher this year. Competition has grown so much over one year, and it's a good thing. It's a lot more fun to watch. But it's made it a lot tougher."

Among the Mesalands athletes who likely will be worth watching is sophomore Hiyo Yazzie of Brimhall, New Mexico. He will compete in four events - saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping. Yazzie also is second in the region's all-round standings.

"That kid is valuable," Hughes said. "I don't know how else to put it. He's entered in so many events, and he's good at all of them."

Other Stampede athletes worth watching this weekend will be:

• Bonner Voss of Stamford, Texas, who will compete in saddle bronc riding and team roping;

• Wyatt Wells of Hereford, Texas, in bull riding and bareback riding;

• Tristan Leger of Sapello, New Mexico, in team roping;

• Delaney Gonzales of Grants, New Mexico, in barrel racing, goat tying and breakaway roping;

• Kaylee Foote of Tucumcari in breakaway and team roping.