Vierstra Qualifies for College National Finals Rodeo

South Plains College will be represented at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo., as Cassie Vierstra qualified in the goat tying competition.

Vierstra, a freshman from Twin Falls, Idaho., finished as the Southwest Region champion in the event with 622.5 points. She will compete at the CNFR at the Casper Events Center June 15-21.

Vierstra had an exceptional freshman year at SPC with four first-place finishes, one second-place finish and one third-place finish. She made it to the Saturday short round a total of eight times.

She started her freshman season by finishing first in goat tying at the Eastern New Mexico University Rodeo with a time of 17.7 seconds. She also had first-place finishes in goat tying at Sul Ross (14.5 seconds) and Texas Tech (16.2 seconds). She was named All-Around Cowgirl at the Sul Ross Rodeo. Vierstra had a second-place finish at Howard (21.1) and a third-place finish at Western Texas College (15.4). She was ninth at Odessa (16.3) and tenth at Weatherford (23.2).

Viersta also had a first-place finish in break away roping at the Weatherford Rodeo with a time of 6.0 seconds.

"Cassie is an exceptional young lady," SPC rodeo coach Josh Crow said. "She is a very strong leader on our team. We have never had a girl on our team since I've been coaching that is as strong mentally as Cassie. She came in here in the fall and acted like she had already been here two years. It is nice to have a person like that."

One of the greatest of all rodeos on the North American continent, the College National Finals Rodeo is held each year in June in Casper. College cowboys and cowgirls from 11 different regions in the United States and four Canadian Provinces enter the CNFR arena in an effort to win national titles in saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, steer wrestling, calf roping, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying.

2008 marks the 60th year for the event. The first was held in 1949 in San Francisco, Calif., at the famed Cow Palace. Student athletes will also be competing for over $200,000 in scholarships from the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Scholarship Awards Program.

All performances begin at 7:00 p.m., including the Saturday Championship Round. Slack will be held on Monday, June 16th and Tuesday, June 17th at 7:00 a.m, with a special 'Bulls Broncs and Breakaway' on Sunday June 15th, at 1:00 and 4:00 p.m.

"I'm very optimistic, but I think her chances of winning are great at the College National Finals Rodeo," Crow said of Vierstra. "Hopefully we'll bring back a National Championship. I know she is going to represent South Plains College well."