The Weatherford College rodeo team finished the regular season with two students winning regional titles, one finishing second in the final standings, and all three earning a berth in the College National Finals Rodeo. The last of 10 regular season rodeos took place at Tarleton State University April 24-26.
Clif Cooper (tie-down roping champion), Arena Robertson (breakaway roping champion and all-round women’s reserve champion) and Kody Engle (goat tying reserve champion) will advance to the CNFR in Casper, Wyo., June 14-22. They will compete with the top two qualifiers in each event from 12 regions across the U.S. and Canada for national titles and scholarship funds. The College Sports Network will televise the final round of the CNFR.
"We had a great regular season and barely missed taking our entire women’s team to nationals," Mike Brown, WC head rodeo coach, said. "We have a great opportunity to win a national championship with the talent we have going to Casper this year."
There’s a family connection to the rodeo championships with this year’s group of WC qualifiers. Cooper’s father and grandfather are past CNFR calf roping champions and his brother-in-law and uncle won team national titles. Robertson’s brother was the national champion heeler last season, roping with WC’s Cody Tew.
The WC women’s team had the second place position going into the final night of the Stephenville rodeo, but the Tarleton women had a big evening — led by former WC student Taryn Krantz — pushing WC to third place in the final regional standings. The WC men’s team finished ninth out of 15 teams.
In tie-down roping, other WC competitors included Justin Brashear, who finished fourth in the region; George Roland (5th); and Clint Crowell (8th). Brashear and Robertson finished eighth and ninth, respectively, in team roping-headers. Kelly Hanley finished tied for fourth in breakaway roping and Jordon Peterson finished seventh in barrel racing.