GCCC Women’s Rodeo Team in Position for 2nd Straight Appearance in College NFR in Casper Wyoming

The Garden City Community College women’s team shared first place honors at the recent Fort Hays State University Intercollegiate Rodeo, continuing their quest to qualify a second straight year for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s College National Finals Rodeo this summer.
Prospects look good, since the Garden City women currently hold second place in the NIRA’s Central Plains Region, and the top two teams automatically qualify.
At the same time, the GCCC men’s team finished 10th in the competition April 20-22 at Hays, and the both women and men are looking ahead to the Panhandle State University Rodeo in Guymon, Okla., April 27-29 – the final stop of the season.
The other first-place finisher in women’s team competition was Northwestern Oklahoma State University.
GCCC’s Emily Miller, Ingalls, took third in the average at Hays in Goat Tying, earning second in the long go and fifth in the short go. She also finished second in the Barrel Racing average, with fifth in the long go and first in the short go, earning the weekend’s All Around Champion honors at the same time.
In addition, Miller was voted by her fellow riders to receive the Walt Garrison Award at the regional level, qualifying her for consideration at the national level. The award recognizes good citizenship and character. At the same time, Miller’s horse, Doyle, was voted Women’s Horse of the Year.
Miller wrapped up the regional championship in Barrel Racing, and is leading in the standings for All Around Cowgirl recognition in the Central Plains too.
Shelby Leonhard, Oskaloosa, also of the Broncbuster women’s team, finished fifth in the average for Goat Tying at FHSU, after splitting seventh through 10th in the long go and taking first in the short go.
In men’s competition at Hays, Levi Nicholson, Severance, Colo., finished fourth in the average in Bareback Riding, even after getting bucked off in the short go. He got to the final round after earning fourth in the long go.
Meanwhile, Jace Hildreth, Gunnison, Colo., took fourth in the short go and fifth in the average in Saddle Bronc Riding, after placing eighth in the long go.
Keenan Wahlert, LaJunta, Colo., took first in the Steer Wrestling Average and first in the long go, earning third in the short go.
The GCCC performances at FHSU followed the Southwestern Oklahoma State University Rodeo April 13-15 in Weatherford, where both women and men’s teams from Garden City finished ninth.
Miller split seventh and eight in the long go of Breakaway Roping at Weatherford, but missed her calf in the short go to finish ninth in the average. She also finished ninth in the average there in Barrel racing, with ninth in both the long go and short go.
Nicholson finished the SWOSU rodeo with eighth in the average in Bareback Riding, following eighth in the long go and a no-score in the short go. Meanwhile, Taylor Schotte, Marysville, and Linden Stueve, Olpe, finished fifth in the average for Team Roping, after earning fourth in the long go and fifth in the average.