Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Bryan Tyler Huey of Mesalands Community College rides his way to a saddle bronc title Saturday in the college's 14th annual Grand Canyon Region Intercollegiate Rodeo at the Quay County Fairgrounds arena.
A Mesalands Community College saddle bronc rider won an individual title during the finals Saturday of the college's 14th annual Grand Canyon Region Intercollegiate Rodeo at the Quay County Fairgrounds arena.
As importantly for Mesalands coach Matt Hughes, he fielded a full roster during the weekend, enabling his team to likely move up in the regional standings. Final points totals weren't available from the event.
Bryan Tyler Huey of Mesalands rode his mount during the Saturday finals for a 71 score and was the only athlete to log two successful saddle bronc rides over the weekend.
Combined with his 65 score on Friday, Huey took home the championship buckle.
It was Huey's second win this season - the first during a Cochise College rodeo in Arizona - and the third of his college career. Huey was in second place in the regional standings before the Tucumcari rodeo.
Rachel Bartlett in breakaway roping and Cameron Senegal in the bulldogging and tie-down roping also had strong showings for the Stampede on Saturday.
Mesalands had hoped for better results in bull riding, especially from Andy Guzman, who finished fourth in the National College Finals Rodeo last season. But the disappointment in that event was widespread: No entrant stayed on a bull's back for the required eight seconds during the finals Saturday.
Hughes beefed up his Stampede roster with two Australian cowboys who'd gotten off a plane just a few days before the rodeo.
Hughes admitted he was a bit disappointed his team didn't have more champions, but he tempered that with his team's strong showing.
"We didn't have as many champions, but we had more athletes place and win points," Hughes said. "Overall, it was the best rodeo we've had this year as a team. It's something to grow on."
Other colleges that competed at the rodeo were Dine College, Central Arizona College, New Mexico State University and Navajo Technical College.
The arena was in surprisingly good condition despite persistent rain during the week. None of the animals appeared to slip during competitions.
Hughes said he averaged up to three hours a day getting the arena rodeo-ready.
"Last year, we added 15 to 20 truckloads of dirt to it," he said. "We had the T4 Ranch give us a tractor and a nice arena drag that goes deep. The equipment we were able to get ahold of through the community and hours of long work is what this produced."
