By SARAH OTTO
Staff Reporter
The rodeo season has come to a wrap and four Northwestern rodeo team members have qualified for the College National Finals rodeo this summer.
This past weekend at the Panhandle State University rodeo, Northwestern was represented by 12 athletes in the championship round. The women’s team claimed fourth place, while the men finished the weekend third.
Maverick Harper made it back in the calf roping and finished the weekend splitting eighth and ninth. In steer wrestling, Grayson Allred claimed first place, Laine Herl took third, Stephen Culling finished fourth and John McGinn wrapped up the weekend in eighth place.
Dalton Richards and Dustin Searcy were the two Northwestern cowboys that made the trip back to the short round of team roping. Richards and his partner Ben Whiddon from Southeastern Oklahoma State finished sixth, while Searcy and Hunter Munsell of Western Oklahoma State claimed third overall.
In barrel racing, Cassy Woodward finished the weekend splitting seventh and eighth with Elli Price finishing ninth. Samantha McGuire was the only Northwestern cowgirl in the short round of breakaway roping, where she finished her weekend sixth overall. In goat tying, Lauren Barnes took first place, while Tearnee Nelson finished fifth.
The women’s team won the Central Plains region by a great lead, and have high hopes to win a national title too.
Shayna Miller won the region in goat tying. The men’s team finished the season third overall. The four Northwestern members that qualified for the CNFR are seniors Lauren Barnes and Dalton Richards, junior Shayna Miller and freshman Grayson Allred. Miller and Barnes will be competing in goat tying, Richards will compete in team roping and Allred will compete in steer wrestling.
Miller said, “It feels great to accomplish my goal of making the CNFR! All my hard work has paid off, but I’m not done yet. I have more expectations for myself and our team at Casper. Hopefully I’ll bring home a national goat tying title, and the women’s team will bring home the national title as well.”
Allred feels extra thankful making the CNFR as a freshman. He said, “It is a really big privilege to make the finals especially for being a freshman. I will go home this summer, but I plan to keep myself and horses in the best shape I can while practicing as much as possible. I plan to stay as consistent as I can and see what happens at the finals.”
Barnes can finally let the stress after making the finals her senior year. She said, “It is very relieving to make the college finals, but that is only the start. Now it is time to bring a national title back to Northwestern.”
Richards felt the same feeling as Barnes. He said, “It feels pretty good to make the finals, since this year was my last chance to make it. I plan on going and roping my same game, and keep spinning steers for my heeler.”
The CNFR will be June 14-20 in Casper, Wyoming.