Both UTM rodeo teams put the finishing touches on their fall schedule this weekend, competing at the nearby rodeo hosted by Murray State University.
For the fifth consecutive rodeo during the 2020-21 season, the Skyhawk men placed second in the field as they piled up 510 points. The UTM women’s squad accrued 80 points to place eighth in the standings.
A pair of cowboys earned points in bareback riding, led by Weston Hamilton tallying a score in all three phases. The junior from Tellico Plains, Tennessee placed fourth across the board with a 118 average, 52 in the first go and 66 in the short round. Bryce Sifford additionally delivered points for UTM with a score of 65 in the short go, splitting fifth in the process.
Cole Walker stood out in a strong field during the calf roping event, securing points in all three phases. He won the opening round with a time of 8.1 seconds before splitting third in average (18.7) and placing fourth in the short go (10.6).
In breakaway roping, Brianna Pugh posted points in each of her three opportunities. Her 3.1 in the short round was food enough to split second while she split third in both average (5.9) and in the opening round (2.8).
Jack Smithson provided consistent scoring for UTM in saddle bronc riding. The senior out of Springfield, Tennessee placed second in average (132) after finishing third in the opening go (63) and fourth in the short round (69).
Two Skyhawks came away with team points in steer wrestling, as Walker continued his successful weekend with a fourth-place showing in the opening round (5.9). Chase Thrasher also came away with sixth-place efforts in both the average (21.6) and in the short go (14.3).
The duo of Shayne Mallory and Kailey Schmidt each dialed up points for UTM in the goat tying event. Mallory’s first-round time of 7.8 seconds was good enough to split third. Meanwhile, Schmidt placed sixth in average (16.7), sixth in the short round (8.4) and split sixth in the opening go (8.3).
A total of five cowboys picked up points in team roping, led by top finisher Will McCraw. He teamed up with Blane Maxwell from Three Rivers College as the tandem won in average (11.8), finished second in the short go (5.8) and placed third in the opening round (6.0). The all-UTM squad of Thrasher and Walker won the short round with a 5.6 before their 13.3 average was deemed as the third-best time in the field. Another all-Skyhawk duo of Cole Harmon and Carson Stroup also came away with fifth-place points after piecing together a time of 7.0 flat in the first round.
UTM is at the exact midway point of its 2020-21 schedule, as the first of five regular season spring rodeos begin on Feb. 18-20 at East Mississippi in Meridian, Mississippi.
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