Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Four Mesalands Community College athletes returned home empty-handed after the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming, concluded Saturday.
Stampede athletes Andy Guzman and Marco Juarez in the bull riding, Jeremy Hennen in the bareback riding and Bryan Huey in the saddle bronc riding failed to score in any of their competitions during the week.
The no-scores had to be particularly frustrating for Guzman, who finished fourth in bull riding at CNFR last year and earned Rookie of the Year honors.
Guzman also was champion in the event of the Grand Canyon Region this year.
Juarez and Huey finished second in their respective regional competitions this season, and Hennen was third.
Phone messages to Mesalands coach Matt Hughes requesting comment were not returned.
In bull riding at CNFR, Tristen Hutchings of Sul Ross State in Alpine, Texas, won the title with 340 points, outpacing Dawson Leaves’ 285 points for Weatherford (Texas) College.
They were the only two bull-riding competitors who completed three successful rides during the week.
In bareback riding, Weston Timberman of Clarendon (Texas) College cruised to the national title with 320 points. He scored no fewer than 78 points in any of his rides. Kade Sonnier of McNeese State finished runner-up with 210 points.
Quinton McWhorter of California Polytechnic State University won the national saddle bronc riding championship with 302 1/2 points, edging Damian Brennan’s 292 1/2 points of Western Texas College.