Tri-College Challenge Rodeo
Mesalands continues dominance in Crownpoint
By Quentin Jodie
Navajo Times
CROWNPOINT, April 26, 2012
(Special to the Times - Donovan Quintero)
TOP: Emerson Long wrestles with his steer Saturday at the Tri-College Challenge in Crownpoint.
BOTTOM: Kacey Bia races after her calf Saturday in the breakaway competition at the Tri-College Challenge in Crownpoint.
Mesalands Community College from Tucumcari, N.M., continues to have a stranglehold in the standings in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
So far they have accumulated 8,682 points in the men's division and lead the national standings while the women's team is ranked sixth with 3,321 points.
At the Tri-College Challenge Rodeo last weekend, hosted by Navajo Technical College, they made their presence known by finishing first in four of the eight events.
"We got a bunch a good kids and we've been building on program for quite some time," Mesalands coach CJ Aragon said.
Last season, Mesalands sent eight members to the College National Finals Rodeo and have all but one back this year.
On top of that, they have a strong freshman class that includes Mexican Springs, N.M., cowgirl Bailey Bates, who finished as the reserve champion at the National High School Rodeo Finals.
"A lot of schools don't have the experience that we do and we've got a well-rounded group," Aragon said. "I think that's a benefit for us because we've had a phenomenal run where we've won some rodeos."
As for their top-ranked status on the men's side, Aragon said that his team has earned that.
"Everybody on the team has stepped up their game," he said. "And I think they are deserving of their No. 1 ranking because we've dominated a lot of events."
And without question, they held their own in the steer-wrestling field by placing all competitors in the top four headed by Chase Massengill, who finished his run in 5.8 seconds.
Cody Lensman came in next with a 6.4 clocking followed by Austin Woods (6.9) and Tyler McCormick (8.4).
Lost in that shuffle was Emerson Long Jr., a first-year student at NTC.
The Twin Lakes, N.M., cowboy caught his draw near the end of the arena and flipped over the steer in 13.1 seconds for a fifth-place finish.
"I did pretty decent," Long said, who was one of two steer wrestlers that competed for the NTC rodeo team at the Tri-College Challenge. "But if I got a better start I would have done better."
NTC steer wrestler Malcolm Antone, who rode out on Friday night, failed to produce a time. Currently the Gallup native is sitting in ninth place in the Grand Canyon Region with 241 points.
Mesalands also took top honors in the saddle bronc, tie-down roping and team roping. Fran Orozco recorded a 77-point ride to nail down the win in the saddle bronc while James Pettigrew did the same in the tie-down event with a 10.3-second run. The team-roping combo of Woods and Archuleta snared top honors with their 6.3 showing.
New Mexico Highland of Las Vegas, N.M., produced two winners with Jose Griego taking the bull riding with a 81-point ride while Jana Jasper covered the clover-leaf pattern in 16.85 seconds to win the barrel race.
Other winners included Northland Pioneer College bareback rider Shon Gibson who posted the top score of 78 points and Brandi Pfeifer of New Mexico State ran the tables in the breakaway event with a 2.2-second run.
In the breakaway, Bates broke the barrier and was assessed a 10-second penalty that pushed her out of the running with a 12.5 run.
"I need to start roping better," said Bates, who chose Mesalands over other schools because of the relationship she has with Aragon.
"It was an easy choice because I know him (Aragon)," she said. "Besides my brother (Michael) went to school there and he had nothing but positive things to say about the school."