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

Haven’t heard of College Rodeo…we’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.

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 66^th 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.

Ironically the top 25 NCAA Division I Football schools aren’t the top 25 Rodeo Colleges.
Mascots like the Golden Eagles from Feather River College Rodeo, The former Plowboys now the Texans and TexAnns from Tarleton State University, MSU Bobcats, SDSU Jackrabbits, ISU Bengals and The East Mississippi Community College Lions 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.

Both a men’s and women’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 a $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:  (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:  (second round winner) 1. Dalton Rixen, Dickinson State University, 79.5 points

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

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

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

Team Roping: (second round winners) 1,  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.