2008 Woodie Awards
University rodeo team holds barrel racing, team roping
Whitney Harrod
Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: College Life
Willie Nelson said mamas shouldn't let their babies grow up to be cowboys. Willie was wrong.
This weekend, the Murray State rodeo team will hold a barrel racing and team roping competition at the Murray State University Expo Center. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, divisions will include training barrels and trot polls for a $4 entry fee, 2D open polls for a $12 entry fee, 3D youth barrels for a $12 entry fee and 3D open barrels for a $17 entry fee.
The weekend's events will include team roping, ladies' breakaway roping and tie-down roping, all with varying entrance fees. The three-day event will feature a jackpot-style competition for barrel racing, team roping and calf roping.
"When you compete and depending on the number of people, you will get paid back more money than you put down," Murray State rodeo team president, Amber Boyers, junior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., said. "The money you win depends on how many people compete and how many places are available."
The Murray State rodeo team, established in 1978, holds several jackpot events throughout the semester to raise money for the team's expenses and travel. The men's and women's teams, both coached by J.D. Vanhooser, offer free parking at the events taking place at the Expo Center.
Beginning March 6, the Murray State rodeo team will travel, horses in tow, to five rodeo competitions in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Last semester the women's rodeo team stood in high standings in the region.
Depending on the weather, Boyers said, the team practices five days a week.
"For this coming weekend, barrel racing and the goat tying are the most popular events," Boyers said.
In barrel racing, traditionally a women's sport, the horse and rider must gallop around three evenly spaced barrels, making sharp turns without overturning the barrels. The rider who completes the course with the fastest time wins the division.
In team roping, the person who ties the steer with the fastest average time will win the jackpot, Devin James, sophomore from Sikeston, Mo., said. Male and female riders may compete together. One rider, called the header, lassos the steer's horns, while the other rider, called the heeler, lassos the steer's hind legs.
"There's usually 100 to 200 teams in each roping division," James said.
In preparation for this and other Murray State rodeo events, the team cleans and prepares the arena and acquires stock for the roping divisions. The stock, calves and steers are borrowed from local community members. In addition, every Murray State team member volunteers for the event.
In the fall, the team offered a full open-rodeo event with bull and bronco riding. A special-needs rodeo for children of Calloway County and surrounding counties also took place in November.Last semester, professional bull rider Chance Smart, ranked third in the world, offered a two-day bull riding clinic at the Expo Center.
Boyers said the team would like to offer more events like this in the future.
This weekend, the Murray State rodeo team will hold a barrel racing and team roping competition at the Murray State University Expo Center. From 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, divisions will include training barrels and trot polls for a $4 entry fee, 2D open polls for a $12 entry fee, 3D youth barrels for a $12 entry fee and 3D open barrels for a $17 entry fee.
The weekend's events will include team roping, ladies' breakaway roping and tie-down roping, all with varying entrance fees. The three-day event will feature a jackpot-style competition for barrel racing, team roping and calf roping.
"When you compete and depending on the number of people, you will get paid back more money than you put down," Murray State rodeo team president, Amber Boyers, junior from Poplar Bluff, Mo., said. "The money you win depends on how many people compete and how many places are available."
The Murray State rodeo team, established in 1978, holds several jackpot events throughout the semester to raise money for the team's expenses and travel. The men's and women's teams, both coached by J.D. Vanhooser, offer free parking at the events taking place at the Expo Center.
Beginning March 6, the Murray State rodeo team will travel, horses in tow, to five rodeo competitions in Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee. Last semester the women's rodeo team stood in high standings in the region.
Depending on the weather, Boyers said, the team practices five days a week.
"For this coming weekend, barrel racing and the goat tying are the most popular events," Boyers said.
In barrel racing, traditionally a women's sport, the horse and rider must gallop around three evenly spaced barrels, making sharp turns without overturning the barrels. The rider who completes the course with the fastest time wins the division.
In team roping, the person who ties the steer with the fastest average time will win the jackpot, Devin James, sophomore from Sikeston, Mo., said. Male and female riders may compete together. One rider, called the header, lassos the steer's horns, while the other rider, called the heeler, lassos the steer's hind legs.
"There's usually 100 to 200 teams in each roping division," James said.
In preparation for this and other Murray State rodeo events, the team cleans and prepares the arena and acquires stock for the roping divisions. The stock, calves and steers are borrowed from local community members. In addition, every Murray State team member volunteers for the event.
In the fall, the team offered a full open-rodeo event with bull and bronco riding. A special-needs rodeo for children of Calloway County and surrounding counties also took place in November.Last semester, professional bull rider Chance Smart, ranked third in the world, offered a two-day bull riding clinic at the Expo Center.
Boyers said the team would like to offer more events like this in the future.
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