NMSU RODEO

Third Round

As we entered the last performance of the third round Friday night, we had the potential for eight NMSU contestants to make the championship round. When it was all over, three made it.

The biggest blow occurred when Means & Garza, last years National Champion Team Ropers were flagged out with an illegal head catch.

Then Mirabal & Shelley were 15 flat with a leg, placing them 13th, one hole out of the championship round.

Jonna Bizzell was sitting great with two goats down in 13.8, but her horse went left while she was dismounting and took her out contention.

Clay Acuna, a senior, will come back sitting 8th in the tie down roping.

Dean Daly, a freshman and recipient of the G.B. Oliver,Jr. Memorial Scholarship, will get his saddle bronc sitting in 6th place.

Bailey Gow, a junior, will run her 4th barrell pattern sitting in 5th place.

Jim Dewey Brown

Wednesday, during the NIRA board meeting (made up of students and coaches from each region), NMSU Coach Jim Dewey Brown was elected President of the NIRA. Students and coaches from all over recognized Coach Brown's knowledge of rodeo, fairness and leadership skills by electing him to this important position.

But that wasn't all.

During the performance Wednesday night, it was announced that Jim Dewey Brown was selected as the NIRA "Coach of the Year" for 2007!

Here's how it was done:

The lights were turned off in the Casper Events Center, and then a spotlight was shown on the center of the arena, and there was the NMSU rodeo team formed in a circle. The announcer started listing all of Brown's accomplishments for the year, and included things that the individual students had written about him. Then the Commissioner of the NIRA, John Smith and Coach Brown entered the circle where he was presented with the 2007 Coach of the Year Buckle. I just wish all the Aggie Rodeo fans could have seen it.

Wednesday was a spectacular day and night for NMSU, Coach Brown and NMSU Rodeo. It certainly demonstrated how far the rodeo program has advanced under Coach Brown's leadership.

New Mexico Rodeo Council

The New Mexico Rodeo Council sent a check to help defray the travel expenses of the CNFR qualifiers from NMSU. The check arrived after Coach Brown had left for Casper, but Faculty Adviser Dr. Allison brought the money and distributed it to the student athletes during the Sunday evening dinner we hold with the team each year. The students will be sending their CNFR picture along with a great big thank you letter from Coach Brown to the council.

Thank you New Mexico Rodeo Council.

Note: I probably won't be posting on this weblog again until I get back Monday night. But you can check at www.cnfr.com for the final results.