By Sean Doherty, student reporter
Late October means three things—colder weather, spooky decor and rodeo in the Alva Dome.
The indoor arena at the Woods County fairgrounds is the site of the NWOSU Rodeo team’s National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Ranger Rodeo.
On Oct. 25, the NWOSU Rodeo team hosted 101 breakaway roping competitors to Alva for their “Rope for the Roses” event. Top professional cowgirls, weekend warriors and both high school and college students competed in four rounds for a grand prize of $10,000.
“We didn’t have our college rodeo this year, and we wanted a way to make some money and give the girls a place to go,” said Stetson Thompson, NWOSU rodeo assistant coach and general studies major. “We held the Rope in for the Roses to kind of get our name out there, make a little money for the school and give these kids and professional athletes something to go to.”
Stockton Graves, NWOSU rodeo coach, worked with Jeremy Wiebener, Devery VanLandingham and other local sponsors to get roping stock, prizes and prize money donated for the roping.
Cedar Anderson, a junior health and sports science major from Carrington, North Dakota, helped spread the word.
“I posted it all over Facebook and kind of just spread the word to some of my closer friends and friends of friends,” Anderson said.
Anderson and other NWOSU rodeo team members also competed in the roping. Callie McGhee, senior ag-business major, made the “short round”; she was one of 15 top competitors after three rounds.
“Making the short round at that roping was pretty exciting for me, “ McGhee said. “I was on my colt who has only been entered a couple of times. My good horse died last month so having (the colt) step up and work like a finished horse was a great feeling.”
JJ Hampton from Stephenville, Texas, roped four consecutive calves the fastest to win the grand prize.
Beau Peterson, an Oklahoma Panhandle State University student, made the fastest run of the roping—1.4 seconds.
Former NWOSU rodeo team member and NIRA champion Taylor Munsell won the fourth round.
Several other former NWOSU students and local competitors placed as well.
Anderson enjoyed the higher-caliber competition.
“It was pretty awesome,” Anderson said. “I mean, Stockton, before everyone got there, told everyone, ‘This is gonna be a pretty big breakaway roping. You’re going to be against the toughest girls in the world, and you’ll have to show up.’ Having those girls surrounding you, it kind of changes your mindset. I mean, you had to rope to their level…a lot of the girls on our team did.”
McGhee appreciated the opportunity and hopes the rodeo team and Graves continue to put the roping on.
“I was grateful Stockton decided to put on a roping like that in Alva,” McGhee said. “It is a good opportunity for a lot of girls who don’t get to enter things like that. I hope he decides to have it again next year.”