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CLN congratulates Casper, WY on celebrating their Sweet 16 with the CNFR

The 66th College National Finals Rodeo is being held in Casper, Wyoming and the CLN, Ak-Chin and Earnhardt Auto Road Team is there to capture all the action

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Grant Denny at the 66th Annual College National Finals Rodeo

Havenโ€™t heard of College Rodeoโ€ฆweโ€™ll probably because the NCAA does not govern the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association consisting of cowboys and cowgirls in higher education.
The rodeo student athletes are college students like many other athletes pursing degrees at the community college and university level across the United States.

Similar to NCAA athletes they must abide by team rules, maintain a GPA and be enrolled full time.

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Marty Yates competing in Tie-Down Roping at the 2014 CNFR

The catch might be many of these athletes finance their own equipment including horses, trucks and trailers for a chance to compete. Follow along on Twitter with Cowboy Lifestyle Network and the #CNFR and @collegerodeo to learn more.

The 66th College National Finals Rodeo is being held June 15-21, 2014 in Casper, Wyoming.
Talk about school colors, there is over 400 student athletes from 100 universities and colleges competing for national championships in a three go-round format with the top advancing to the short go-round.

Kindee Wilson competing in Goat Tying at the 2014 CNFR

Kindee Wilson competing in Goat Tying at the 2014 CNFR

Ironically the top 25 NCAA Division I Football schools arenโ€™t the top 25 Rodeo Colleges.
Mascots like the Golden Eagles fromย Feather River College Rodeo, The former Plowboys now the Texans and TexAnns fromย Tarleton State University,ย MSU Bobcats,ย SDSU Jackrabbits,ย ISU Bengalsย and Theย East Mississippi Community College Lionsย get top recognition.

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) event champions will be crowned in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying and barrel racing.

Amberley Snyder who is paralyzed from the waste down but still competed in the NIRA in barrel racing and breakaway roping

The very inspiring, Amberley Snyder, who is paralyzed from the waste down, still competes in the NIRA in barrel racing and breakaway roping

Both a menโ€™s and womenโ€™s all-around champion and team champion will be crowned.
The third go-round is underway however Cowboy Lifestyle Network can report on some of the highlights from the first and second go-rounds.

Tonight at the rodeo the College National Finals Rodeo will be giving aย $2,500 “Nothin But Try” scholarship in Shane Drury’s name to Amberley Snyder who is paralyzed from the waste down but still competed in the NIRA in barrel racing and breakaway roping. Come on out to the rodeo and get inspired!

Below are some of the first and second round winners of the 2014 College National Finals Rodeo:

Bareback Riding:ย  (second round winner) 1, Grant Denny, Feather River College, 82 points.

Steer wrestling: (first round winner) 1, Riley Krassin, Casper College, 4.5 seconds.

Steer wrestling: (second round winner) 1, Jace Melvin, Tarleton State University, 4.1 seconds

Breakaway Roping: (second round winner) 1, Shaina Johnson, Eastern Washington State University, 2.1 seconds.

Saddle Bronc Riding:ย  (second round winner) 1. Dalton Rixen, Dickinson State University, 79.5 points

Tie-Down Roping: (first round winner) 1, Clark Adcock, University of Tennessee โ€“ Martin, 8.3.

Tie-Down Roping: (second round winners) 1, ย (tie) Kit Pettigrew, Mesalands Community College, and Marty Yates, Hill College, 8.0 seconds each.

Team Roping: (first round winners) 1,ย  Billy Bob Brown, Tarleton State University, and Logan Medlin, Eastern New Mexico University, 4.8 seconds.

Team Roping: (second round winners) 1,ย  Alton Fisher and Justin Pruitt, East Mississippi Community College, 5.1 seconds.

Barrel Racing: (first round winner) 1, Lauren Reiser, Montana State University, 14.10 seconds.

Barrel Racing: (second round winner) 1, Taylor Engesser, Gillette College, 13.83 seconds.

Goat Tying: (first round winners) 1, (tie) Shelby Freed, Idaho State University, and Lauren Barnes, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 6.3 seconds each.

Goat Tying: (second round winners) 1, Kindee Wilson, New Mexico Highlands University, 6.1 seconds.

Bull Riding: (second round winners) 1, Ty Wallace, Odessa College, 86 points.

 

CLN Community & Event Sponsor

Gretchen Kirchmann is a veteran journalist covering a variety of events across the country each year. She founded Kirchmann Media Group in 2009 and works as a marketing consultant with a forte for the western lifestyle industry, festivals, fairs and rodeo world. Her work includes 15 national communication awards plus coverage of Nashville's CMT Awards and CMA Fanfest. A favorite assignment was attending the all cast reunion of the Dukes of Hazard in 2006 and 2007 at Dukesfest. In December you will find her covering the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and Miss Rodeo America pageant live from Las Vegas. Her favorite color is orange, favorite song "Rocky Top" and she loves to dance especially clogging.

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