The New Mexico State University Rodeo team triumphed over the competition for the third weekend in a row at Central Arizona College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) rodeos held March 8-9 in Florence, Ariz.

“Both teams and individuals had a great weekend, but there are still a lot of event races that are going to be really tight. The men’s team has pretty much secured the top spot in the region, and the women’s team is so far ahead there is no way the second place team could even come close to catching them,” said Jim Dewey Brown, NMSU rodeo coach.

In the first rodeo of the weekend, the women’s team won first overall, with a lead of more than 300 points over the second-place team.

Megan Wilkerson, of Elgin, Ariz., won first in the breakaway roping, with Brittany Striegel, of Aztec, N.M., placing third.

In the barrel racing event, Bailey Gow, of Roseburg, Ore., placed first. Kelsi Elkins, of Aztec, N.M., received third.

Staci Stanbrough, of Capitan, N.M., and Brooklynn Chester, of Carlsbad, N.M., placed second and third, respectively, in the goat tying event.

For the men’s team, Travis Ottney, of Hereford, Ariz., and Clay Geronimo, of Mescalero, N.M., won first and second, respectively, in the bareback riding.

NMSU dominated the saddle bronc riding event, with Olan Borg, of Camp Verde, Ariz., winning first, Daniel Orris, of Durango, Colo., placing second, and Dean Daly, of Belen, N.M., finishing third.

In the tie-down roping, Johnny Salvo, of Datil, N.M., won second.

Mesilla Park, N.M., native Tanner Robinson placed third in the steer wrestling.

The team of Chance Means, of Cliff, N.M., and Matt Garza, of Mesquite, N.M., received second in the team roping, followed by the team of Victor Perez, of Corona, N.M., and Nate Mortensen, of Virden, N.M.

Elkins was named the women’s all-around champion for the rodeo.

In the second rodeo of the weekend, in the breakaway roping, Chester placed third, with teammate Gow placing second in the barrel racing.

In the goat tying event, Striegel and Gow placed first and second, respectively.

For the men’s team, Geronimo placed third in the bareback riding.

Daly and Borg received first and second, respectively, in the saddle bronc riding.

Justin Wilson, of Carlsbad, N.M., won first in the steer wrestling.

Header Wyatt Althoff, of Gilbert, Ariz., and heeler Aaron Moyers, of Moriarty, N.M., placed second in the team roping.

Gow was named the women’s all-around champion for the rodeo.

The next NIRA rodeo will be held April 18-19 at Navajo Technical College in Crownpoint, N.M.

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Photos are available at
http://ucommphoto.nmsu.edu/newsphoto/elkins_kelsi.jpg
CUTLINE:  The Central Arizona College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) first rodeo women’s all-around champion and New Mexico State University athlete Kelsi Elkins, of Aztec, N.M.(NMSU photo by J. Victor Espinoza)

http://ucommphoto.nmsu.edu/newsphoto/gow_bailey_cw.jpg
CUTLINE:  The Central Arizona College National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) second rodeo women’s all-around champion and New Mexico State University athlete Bailey Gow, of Roseburg, Ore. (NMSU photo by J. Victor Espinoza)

Margaret Kovar
March 13, 2008

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