Vierstra, Shanklin among top SPC performers at Howard, Frank
Philips
by Brant Thurmond, sports editor
The South Plains
College rodeo teams continued their success from earlier in
the season at the Howard College rodeo in Big Spring.
Six SPC
rodeo team members advanced to the final round during the
event, which was held April 17- April 19.
Freshman
Cassie Vierstra from Twin Falls, Idaho led the team with a
second-place finish in goat tying. Vierstra had the fastest
time in the first round with a time of 9.3 seconds, and a
time of 11.8 seconds in the short round. Vierstra is ranked
first in the Southwest Region in goat tying with 622.5
points.
In the
bull-riding event, freshman Ryan Shanklin, from Rocksprings,
finished third with a score of 81. Shanklin is currently
ranked fifth in the Southwest Region with 280 points.
Sophomore
Stewart Kinley of Gradstone, Manitoba, placed fourth in
bull-riding with a score of 75.
Brian
Johnson, a freshman from Gruver, advanced to the short round
in tie-down roping. Johnson had a time of 10.9 seconds in
the first round and 12.7 seconds in the short round for a
total time of 23.6. Johnson is ranked fifth in the Southwest
Region with 310 points.
In goat
tying, sophomore Brandy Sladen of Keremeos, British
Columbia, placed sixth in goat tying. Sladen had a time of
10.5 seconds in the first round and 11.1 seconds in the
final round for a total time of 21.6 seconds.
Freshman
Ross Cooper, from Slaton, finished eighth after scoring a 49
in the second round. Cooper is ranked 13th in the
recent Southwest Region rankings with 25 points.
On April
10- April 12, the SPC rodeo teams competed at the Frank
Phillips rodeo in Perryton.
Jamie
Nunnellee, a freshman from Aumsiville, Ore., led SPC with a
second-place finish in break-away roping.
Nunnellee
posted a time of 3.3 seconds in the first round, and a time
of 3.2 seconds in the short round. She finished with a total
time of 6.5 seconds, just three-tenths of a second from the
first-place time.
In
tie-down roping, Cody Jordan continued his strong spring
season with a third-place finish. Jordan, a sophomore from
Hobbs, N.M., had a time of 9.7 seconds in the first round
and 10.7 seconds in the short round, totaling 20.4 seconds.
Sophomore
T.J. Nash from Drayton Valley, Alberta, finished tied for
fifth in goat tying. Nash had a time of 8.8 seconds in the
first round and 9.2 seconds in the short round, for a total
time of 18.0 seconds.
Three
other SPC rodeo team members made it to the short round.
Johnson and Matt Switzer of Swift Current, Saskatchawan,
advanced to the short round in team roping. Johnson and
Switzer had the third-fastest time with 8.4 seconds in the
first round, but had a no-time in the finals.
In bull
riding, Shanklin scored a 74 in the first round.
The SPC
rodeo team traveled to Tarleton State University to compete
at a rodeo on April 24- April 26 in Stephenville. Results
were unavailable at press time.
Photo by Melissa Rinehart/Plainsman
Press
