NMSU Rodeo team competes and wins at season openers

The New Mexico State University Rodeo team blew away the competition during National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) rodeos at Cochise College, in Fort Huachuca, Ariz., March 5-6 and the University of Arizona, in Tucson, Ariz., March 7.

The men’s and the women’s teams placed first at both rodeos, each time leading the competition by more than 60 points.

“The team did great this weekend at our spring season openers; both the men’s and the women’s teams stepped up and were very competitive. NMSU Rodeo is definitely going to have a solid team for the College National Finals Rodeo in June,” said Jim Dewey Brown, NMSU Rodeo coach.

In the saddlebronc riding event, Steve Hacker, of Battle Mountain, Nev., and Garrison DeWitt, of Rio Rico, Ariz., placed first and second, respectively.

Westin Fowler, of Las Cruces, N.M., won first in the bull riding.

Grants, N.M., native JoDan Mirabal won first in the tie-down roping, with Bo Simpson, of Las Cruces, N.M., placing second.

In the team roping, Mirabal, header, and Parker Reed, heeler, of Apollo College, received first. The team of Bryce Runyan, header, of Silver City, N.M., and Tel Trammell, heeler, of Tularosa, N.M., placed second.

For the women’s team, Jessica Silva, of Tularosa, N.M., won first in the breakaway roping, with teammate Katie Waybourn, of Aztec, N.M., placing second in the goat tying.

Mirabal was named the men’s all-around cowboy and Jordan Bassett, of Dewey, Ariz., was named the women’s all-around cowgirl for the rodeo.

During the second rodeo of the weekend, DeWitt won first in the saddlebronc riding. Thor Dusenberry, of Desert Hills, Ariz., placed second, and Hacker received third.

In the tie-down roping, Johnny Salvo, of Horse Springs, N.M., won first. Simpson received second.

Tyler Dietering, header, of Central Arizona College, and Corban Livingston, heeler, of El Paso, Texas, won first in the team roping. The team of Daniel Scalva, of Durango, Colo., and Aaron Shelley, of Gila, N.M., received second.

Shiann Irwin, of Bosque Farms, N.M., and Waybourn placed second and third, respectively, in the breakaway roping.

Bassett placed second in the barrel racing and third in the goat tying. She also was named the women’s all-around for the rodeo.

The next NIRA rodeo will be at Central Arizona College in Florence, Ariz., March 20-21.