Three Qualify for CNFR
April 29, 2009
WEATHERFORD, Okla. - Southwestern Oklahoma State University's multi-year streak of sending either a team or a contestant to the College National Finals Rodeo has been extended again with the qualification of two cowgirls and a one cowboy to the prestigious event.
Amy Outhier, Cally Cummings and Dusty Gracia all earned a spot in the final event through a rigorous qualification process that included 10 rodeos throughout the course of the 2008-2009 season. Contestants must finish third or better in their particular region or be a member of the regional champion or runner-up team.
The CNFR, now in its 60th year, will be held indoors in the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo., beginning Sunday, June 14. A total of 400 contestants from the top rodeo teams across the nation will compete for six days to crown a national champion in both team competition and in nine different events.
SWOSU, a six time winner in the event, will be hard-pressed to match the success of many of its competitors who will have a full compliment of contestants, but ninth-year head coach Chad Ramirez still likes his chances.
"All three of ours have a chance to walk away as a champion in their event," Ramirez said. "We may bring just two cowgirls but if things go right...we might just be up among the leaders when it's done."
Outhier, a freshman from Weatherford, was one of the top cowgirls in the Central Plains Region in her first year as a collegian. She finished as the region's top performer in goat tying and earned a berth in the CNFR. She won first in goat tying at the Colby Community College and Pratt Community College Rodeos as well as finishing second at both Fort Scott Community and Rogers State Rodeo.
Cummings, a senior from Florida, will be competing in the breakaway roping competition after finishing third in the region. She won back-to-back breakaway events at Kansas State and at Garden City earlier this year.
Gracia will make his return to the CNFR where he again will compete in the bareback riding competition. He finished in eighth place in his last appearance in 2007. The Leedey senior finished third in the Central Plains Regional standings in his favored event with over 800 points. He had top five finishes in seven rodeo, including winning the bareback title at Oklahoma Panhandle State and finishing second in rodeos at Colby Community College, Kansas State and SWOSU's own rodeo.