By Jara Reeder, Senior Reporter
February kicked off the spring rodeo season for Northwestern, and both the men’s and women’s teams are climbing in the ranks.
The women’s team placed seventh, and the men’s team did not place during the Feb. 16 – 18 rodeo at Kansas State.
However, Ben Jackson and Denton Oestmann placed in the top eight in tie-down roping, with Jackson in fourth and Oestmann in seventh.
Grady Asaby and Cameron Fox placed fifth and sixth in steer wrestling. Jaden Trimble took first place in team roping header, while no one placed in team roping heeler.
Julianna Sprague placed fifth in barrel racing, and Jentri Hulburt placed seventh in breakaway roping. Lacey Geiger and Morgan Poust placed in the top 10 for goat tying.
After the season opener, the next stop was Fort Scott Community College March 10 – 12. In that rodeo, the Rangers placed in the top seven in: men’s team overall, women’s team overall, men’s all-around, tie down roping, steer wrestling, team roping header, team rope heeler, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
Kaden Greenfield won first in steer wrestling, while Lacey Geiger finished first in breakaway roping.
The next rodeo was March 31 to April 2 in Garden City, Kansas. The Rangers placed in the top 10 in men’s team overall, women’s team overall, tie down roping, steer wrestling, team roping header, barrel racing and breakaway roping.
From Thursday to Saturday, the Rangers traveled to Weatherford for the Southwestern rodeo. The Rangers placed in women’s team overall, men’s all-around, tie down roping, steer wrestling, team roping header and barrel racing.
Oestmann placed second in tie down roping. Kade Chace placed seventh, and Kerry Duvell placed 15th.
Nearly half of the contestants for steer wrestling at Southwestern were Rangers. Greenfield, Emmett Edler, Trisyn Kalawai’a, Quade Potter, Cameron Fox, Tyler Scheevel and Wyatt Fields all placed in the top 15.
Camden Hoelting, Ben Jackson, Jaden Trimble and Jacob Haren finished in the top 15 for team roping header.
Austin Lampe placed fourth in team roping heeler. Samantha Chambers is fourth in barrel racing.
Lacey Geiger and Jentri Hurlburt placed in the top 15 in breakaway roping, with Geiger in fifth and Hurlburt in seventh.