DUBOIS RODEO SCHOLARSHIP

I've started the fall fundraising campaign. Please help me assist these outstanding student athletes by clicking here for the donation form.

Thanks,

Frank DuBois


Aggies Outrope, Outride Competition at Weekend Rodeo

Date: 10/25/2005

ALAMOGORDO – Almost everything that could go right did go right for New Mexico State University’s rodeo teams as they overwhelmed ropers and riders from 13 other universities Friday and Saturday at the Otero County Fairgrounds.

The Aggie women captured another team trophy and NMSU’s Krista Norell of Meeker, Colo., finished far ahead of anyone else in the all-around competition.

The Aggie men’s team more than doubled the points total of any other school and NMSU’s Daniel Etsitty of Kayenta, Ariz., took home the all-around honors with his outstanding performances in rough stock events.

“We couldn’t ask for anything better,” NMSU coach Jim Dewey Brown said. The Aggies took first place in seven of the 10 events.

Winning their events were Aggies Wacey Walraven of Datil, N.M., in calf roping; Lucas Vaughan of Yerington, Nev., in steer wrestling; Clint Phillipps of Douglas, Wyo., in saddle bronc riding; Norell in breakaway roping; Megan Corey of Bremerton, Wash., in goat tying; Ty Trammell of Alamogordo as a team roping header; and Bode Baize of Anthony, Texas, as a team roping heeler.

Other top Aggie finishes went to Jake Greenwood of Big Piney, Wyo., second place, and Etsitty, third, in bareback riding; Kevin Lozares of Mountain View, Calif., second, and Sterling Walker of Aztec, fourth, in calf roping; J.W. Nicholson of Belen, third, in steer wrestling; Casey Talbot of Malaga, N.M., second, and Norell, third, in barrel racing; Etsitty, second, in bull riding; Brittany Striegel of Aztec, second, and Bailey Gow of Roseburg, Ore., fourth, in goat tying; and Matt Garza of Mesilla Park, second, as a team roping heeler.

The NMSU team has so many new, talented members that picking the right combination for team competition has been a challenge, but Brown said he was happy with the weekend results.

“We picked the right people for this rodeo,” he said. Not only did new recruits turn in good results, but upperclassmen also excelled. “My older group stepped up. They’re back to where they left off last year.”

With four fall rodeos now completed, the Aggies have a break until the spring rodeo season begins in March. Last weekend’s rodeo should leave both Aggie teams in good shape to begin the second half of the season, Brown said.

In the meantime, the student-athletes will have more time for their studies, Brown said. “They need to focus on school.”

Aggie Women Bring Home Rodeo Trophy

Date: 10/11/2005

GALLUP – The New Mexico State University women’s rodeo team returned to its winning ways when it captured first place overall for rodeos Friday and Saturday.

The Aggie women also won all-around honors both days, with Whitney Robinson of Mesilla Park and Julie Etchegaray of Eureka, Nev., sharing the honor Friday and Megan Wilkerson of Sonoita, Ariz., finishing first on Saturday.

The Aggie men’s team finished in third place Friday and second place Saturday.

“The women stepped it up this week, so that was nice,” said coach Jim Dewey Brown. He plans to emphasize rough stock events in practice the next two weeks before the next rodeo, in Alamogordo Oct. 21-22. The Aggies continue to do well in roping events, and have started to show results in steer wrestling. “All in all, we’re doing really well,” Brown said.

Top Aggie finishes Friday went to bareback riders Daniel Etsitty of Kayenta, Ariz., who tied for first, and Jake Greenwood of Big Piney, Wyo., third place; and steer wrestlers J.W. Nicholson of Belen, first, and Lucas Vaughan of Yerington, Nev., second. Clint Phillipps of Douglas, Wyo., was second in saddle bronc riding. Etchegaray and Bailey Gow of Roseburg, Ore., tied for first in breakaway racing, followed by Robinson, who tied for fourth.

In goat tying, Krista Norell of Meeker, Colo., was third and Megan Corey of Bremerton, Wash., was fourth. Robinson was second and Dusti Franklin of Ruidoso was fourth in barrel racing. Arcel Allsup of Duncan, Ariz., took first in calf roping, followed by Wacey Walraven of Datil, N.M., in fourth.

NMSU’s Allen Tacker of Fabens, Texas, and Justin DeVerse of the University of Arizona took second place in team roping, followed by Aggies Kevin Lozares of Mountain View, Calif., and Victor Perez of Corona, N.M., in third.

On Saturday, outstanding Aggies were bareback rider Etsitty, second place; saddle bronc riders Phillipps, first, and Chance Van Winkle of Alto, fourth; and bullrider Daren Albrecht of Veyo, Utah, first.

In steer wrestling, NMSU’s Nicholson finished in second, followed by Tanner Robinson of Mesilla Park in third. Wilkerson won in breakaway roping, followed by Gow in a three-way tie for second.

NMSU women took the top four places in goat tying, with Etchegaray, first, Norell, second, Brittany Striegel of Aztec, third, and Rachael Van Cleve of Bosque Farms, fourth. In barrel racing, Katie Hooper of Elko, Nev., was second. Striegel was fourth.

Aggie calf roper Garrett Baker of Clayton took first place, followed by Clay Acuna of Santa Fe, third, and Joseph Gonzales of Roswell, fourth. Leading the team roping for NMSU Saturday was the team of Wilkerson and Lindsey Hughes of Cornville, Ariz., in a tie for third place.

Scholarship Athletes Join NMSU Rodeo Team

LAS CRUCES – More than a dozen new rodeo team recruits, including four female team ropers and several rough stock athletes on the men’s team, will receive the DuBois Rodeo Scholarship this fall at New Mexico State University.

Coach Jim Dewey Brown wants to strengthen the rough stock side of the men’s team this season, and said because the rules have changed in how team roping is scored, more team ropers will be included in the NMSU team competition at each rodeo.

Frank DuBois, who helped establish rodeo scholarships at NMSU, said top coaching and a record of success are attracting skilled athletes.

“They’re excited to be at New Mexico State,” said DuBois, former secretary/director of the New Mexico Department of Agriculture. “They know two things: It’s a quality school so their degree will be marketable, and they’re excited to be a part of the NMSU rodeo program. There’s a tradition here of regional championships and national placings.”

The new scholarship athletes include Brooke Conner of Willcox, Ariz.; Megan Corey of Bremerton, Wash.; Julie Etchegaray of Eureka, Nev.; Daniel Etsitty of Kayenta, Ariz.; Jake Greenwood of Big Piney, Wyo.; Katie Hooper of Elko, Nev.; Lindsey Hughes of Cornville, Ariz.; Robby Jundt of Elfrida, Ariz.; Kevin Lozares of Mountain View, Calif.; Aaron Moyers of Moriarty; J.W. Nicholson of Bosque Farms; Brittany Striegel of Aztec; Lucas Vaughan of Yerington, Nev.; and Megan Wilkerson of Sonoita, Ariz.

The 14 scholarship recruits have joined 27 returning scholarship athletes on the 70-member team.

“Based on the performance of last year and the new recruits, our women’s team will be super tough,” DuBois said. “With the influx of student athletes on the men’s team, I expect they will take the regional championship.”

Conner, a freshman, will compete in breakaway roping and goat tying. She was the champion in goat tying at the 2004 Arizona State Fair Rodeo and a 2005 National High School Finals Rodeo qualifier.

Corey is a transfer from Cochise College in Douglas, Ariz. She competes in barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying. She is the 2005 reserve champion in goat tying in the Grand Canyon Region and a two-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier.

Etchegaray, a freshman majoring in nursing, will compete in breakaway roping, goat tying, barrel racing and team roping. She was the Nevada state high school rodeo barrel racing champion, the Nevada reserve all-around cowgirl and a 2005 National High School Finals Rodeo qualifier.

Etsitty is a transfer from Cochise College who competes in bareback riding and bull riding. He is a two-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier.

Greenwood is a junior majoring in agricultural business who transferred from National American University in Rapid City, S.D. He is a bull rider and bareback rider who competed last year in Professional Bull Riders competitions.

Hooper is a freshman majoring in athletic training. She competes in barrel racing, team roping and breakaway roping. She was a three-year qualifier to the National High School Finals Rodeo.

Hughes is a freshman who competes in breakaway roping, goat tying and team roping. She was the breakaway roping champion at the 2004 Arizona State Fair Rodeo and competed at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2005.

Jundt is a transfer from Cochise College who competes in bull riding. He was a College National Finals Rodeo qualifier in 2004.

Lozares is a sophomore agricultural business major who transferred from Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he was a member of the men’s golf team. He competes in calf roping and team roping.

Moyers is a freshman team roper. He received the Hotch and Carolyn Manning Scholarship.

Nicholson is a freshman biology major who competes in steer wrestling. He finished in fourth place in steer wrestling at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2005, and was the steer wrestling champion at the 2005 New Mexico High School Finals Rodeo. He received the Singleton Ranches Scholarship.

Striegel is a freshman chemistry major who competes in breakaway roping, barrel racing and team roping. She was the champion in goat tying at the 2005 New Mexico High School Finals Rodeo and was a member of the Wrangler All-Star Team. She received the F.F. “Chano” Montoya Memorial Scholarship.

Vaughan is a freshman biology major who competes in calf roping, team roping and steer wrestling. He was a National High School Finals Rodeo qualifier in 2005 and took sixth place in team roping at the Silver State International Rodeo.

Wilkerson is a freshman agricultural business and agricultural marketing major who competes in breakaway roping, team roping and barrel racing. She was the breakaway roping reserve champion at the Arizona Junior Rodeo and the state barrel racing champion.

Scholarship athletes returning to the team are Clay Acuna of Santa Fe; Daren Albrecht of Veyo, Utah; Audrey Baeza of El Paso; Bode Baize of Anthony, Texas; Chelsee Byerley of Gallup; MegAnne Casey of Great Falls, Mont.; Dusti Franklin of Ruidoso; Meghan Jo Frie of Virden, N.M; Matt Garza of Mesilla Park, who received the El Valle Fraternal Order of Eagles Scholarship; Bailey Gow of Roseburg, Ore., who received the Pete and Lucy Leach Scholarship; Clay Houston of Seminole, Texas; Kayla Lange of Great Falls; Nate Mortensen of Virden; Krista Norell of Meeker, Colo.; Victor Perez of Corona, who received the Charlie Lee Memorial Scholarship; Clint Phillipps of Douglas, Wyo.; Callie Rios of Clint, Texas; Katrina Stackpole of Tijeras; Allen Tacker of Fabens, Texas; Casey Talbot of Malaga, N.M.; Monte Topmiller of Silver City; Ty Trammell of Alamogordo, who received the G.B. Oliver Jr. Memorial Scholarship; Rachael Van Cleve of Bosque Farms; Chance Van Winkle of Alto, who received the H.W. “Bud” Eppers Memorial Scholarship; Sterling Walker of Aztec; Wacey Walraven of Datil, N.M.; and Lacy Wilson of Artesia.