Rodeo Teams Host Annual Viking Stampede Rodeo
Marshall, Mo., (Sept. 23, 2023)- The Missouri Valley College men's and women's rodeo teams opened their 2023-24 season by hosting the annual Viking Stampede Rodeo at the Saline County Fairgrounds, Thursday through Saturday evening. The men's rodeo team claimed first overall with two event average winners. The women's team placed fourth in the standings with one event winner in the average.
The Viking cowboys finished in the top six spots of the bareback riding average, led by Senior Ty Pope (Waverly, Kan.), who took first with a 169 in the average. He won both go-rounds with scores of 84 and 85, and he earned a total of 180 points. Freshman Jason Wilson (Pownal, Vt.) was second in the average with a 152, which included an 80 in the first go-round. Wilson earned 140 points. Senior Colt Eck (Redfield, Kan.) was third with a 151 in the average to earn 130 points, while Sophomore Dawson Honeycutt (Alamosa, Colo.) was fourth in the average with a 132 to earn 70 points. Sophomore Hayden Leavell (Ozark, Ark.) was fifth with a 131 in the average to earn 131 points, and Sophomore Kooper Heimburg (San Tan Valley, Ariz.) was sixth in the average with a 76 in the first go-round to earn 40 points.
In saddle bronc riding, Pope claimed first in the average, with a 150. He was second in the first go-round with a 75, then followed with a 75 to win the second go-round. He earned 170 points. Senior Tyler Freeman (Cadiz, Ky.) was second in the average with a 147. He won the first go-round with a 76, then was second in the second go-round with a 71. He earned 160 ponits.
Also for the Vikings cowboys, the pair of Senior Nate Pelke (Mondovi, Wisc.) and Freshman Kade Foster (Newark, Ill.) placed second in the team roping average with a 16.1. The pair were second in the second go-round with a 7.3, and earned 100 points. Freshman Carson Ball (Brumer, Mo.) was fourth in the steer wrestling average with a 14.9. He won the first go-round with a 4.5, and earned 105 points. Ball was also seventh in the calf roping average with a 39.6. Foster finished fifth in the calf roping average with a 29.3, and earned 40 points.
The Viking cowgirls were led by Senior Betsy Roemer (Jonesboro, Ark.) who finished first in the goat tying average with a 15.5. She followed a 7.7 in the first go-round to win the second go-round with a 7.8. Roemer earned 123.33 points. Junior Kenlie Raby (Mt. Vernon, Ark.) was eighth in the average with a 19.0 and earned 3.33 points. Senior Sadie Biggs (Harrison, Ark.) placed fourth in the barrel racing average with a 30.61, and earned 80 points.
The Missouri Valley men's rodeo team won the Viking Stampede Rodeo with 855 total points. Northwest Mississippi was second with 405 points. The women's side was won by West Alabama with 435 points. The Viking women's team was fourth with 215 points.
Up next, the Missouri Valley rodeo teams will travel to Livingston, Ala., for the West Alabama rodeo, Sept. 28-30.
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Known for its dynamic, richly diverse, and friendly educational environment, Missouri Valley College offers many opportunities to grow in mind, body, and spirit. Grounded in the liberal arts, undergraduate studies empower students to master interdisciplinary skills needed to succeed in a knowledge-based global society. MVC offers over 30 academic programs, study abroad program, extracurricular activities, and a wide variety of sports. The most popular majors include education and business, criminal justice and exercise science. Above all, Valley is committed to student success. For more information, call (660) 831-4000 or visit www.moval.edu.