SWOSU Men, Women Take Home Titles at NEO Rodeo
October 17, 2005
Miami, OK - Southwestern Oklahoma State’s early-season dominance on the rodeo circuit moved into its second week with both the men and women’s teams taking first at the Northeastern A&M Rodeo in Miami. The SWOSU men, winners last week at Pratt, built up 490 points and won easily over second-place Oklahoma Panhandle (298) and Pratt Community College (270) while the women scored 450 points thanks primarily to an amazing showing in the goat tying event.
Both SWOSU teams, coached by Chad Ramirez, are expected to be ranked first in the Central Plains regional rankings when they are released later this week.
Bandy Murphy kept his notable run going one week after winning the All-Around Cowboy competition at Pratt. The Punta Gorda senior scored a 79 in the saddle bronc competition to earn first place in the long round which helped him to a third-place showing in the average.
Teammate Steven Smith scored points in the bareback competition, splitting second-and third in the long round and then posting a 76 in the short round to finish first. Smith finished second in the average.
Tanner Houston swept the calf-roping competition splitting first and second in the long round with a time of 8.8 seconds. He then posted a 9.0 in the short round which was good enough to win the round and help him to a first-place finish in the average.
SWOSU also got points from Thomas Merritt who tied for fourth in the short round and ended up sixth in the calf roping average.
Houston and teammate Jesse Kulczycki did not score points in the team roping competition but finished among the top 10 in the event.
In the women’s competition, SWOSU advanced six to the finals of the goat-tying competition and ended up scoring 290 of the team’s 450-point total in the event.
Martha Beagley was the top scorer thanks in part to an event-best time of 6.9 seconds in the short round which landed her second place in the average. Teammate Audra Hays finished fourth in the average and fourth in the short round. Sarah Ellingson was fifth in the short round and ended up fifth in the average. Julie Dawson, Ashlilen Houston and Cashe Nesmith also were among those who also advanced with good times in the first round.
Ellingson used her fifth-place goat-tying effort along with a first-place finish in barrel racing to earn the event’s All-Around Cowgirl. The Kellyville junior was clocked at an event-best 14.13 seconds in the long run which lifted her to a first-place finish in the average.
Both SWOSU teams will return to action Oct. 27, 28 and 29 at the Northwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo in Alva.