Mesalands rodeo team takes first

The Mesalands Community College men’s rodeo team captured first place and the women finished fourth during a meet Sept. 23 in Cochise, Arizona.

Cooper Felipek won the bareback riding competition, Blake Afdahl won in calf roping, and Wyatt Wells won the saddle bronc riding for the Mesalands Stampede.

Marco Juarez finished second in the first round of the bull riding. Andy Guzman won the short go-round in bull riding.

Rachel Bartlett finished third in breakaway roping, and Shea Grogan finished sixth in goat tying.

Mesalands coach Matt Hughes said his team performed well.

“We had certain expectations going into the weekend, and we met a majority of those,” he said. “However, the obstacle that always faces a winner is, can you do it again? Now’s the time to turn the heat up in practice because second place, third place and fourth place are all practicing twice as hard now. So that’s what we have to do, as well.”

Mesalands’ next meet is Friday and Saturday with its fall rodeo at the Quay County Fairgrounds rodeo arena, with performances each night at 6 and a slack performance at 9 a.m. Saturday.

After that, the Stampede have a meet Oct. 30 at Las Cruces.