T-Birds take third at Odessa College Rodeo

ODESSA, Texas — The New Mexico Junior College men's rodeo team opened the spring season with a third-place finish behind a pair of first-place performances at the Odessa College Rodeo on Saturday at Outback Arena.

NMJC sophomore Wyatt Hayes (header) and partner Shane Knerr (healer) out of Frank Phillips finished first in team roping while NMJC freshman Keely Bonnett tied for first in tie down roping.

The Thunderbirds had 375 points and finished behind Tarleton State (760) and Western Texas (405).

In team roping, Hayes and Knerr took second in the long go (6.7 seconds) and first in the short go (6.2) to finish first in average at 12.9 seconds on two head. See video of Hayes' performance here.

NMJC's Charlie Barefoot (heeler) and South Plains' Jessica Gray (header) split fourth and fifth in the long go (7.0) but didn't record a time in the short go.

In tie down roping, Bonnett started the event by splitting fifth and sixth at 10.6 seconds, but shot back up the standings by finishing first in the short go (9.7) to tie for first at 20.3 seconds on two head.

NMJC sophomore Pake Sorey also had a top-five finish in tie down as he took seventh in the long go (10.8) and third in the short go (10.2) to take fourth in average at 21 seconds on two head.

NMJC freshman Kolton Burnett took fourth in saddle bronc riding after taking fourth in the long go (66 points) and seventh in the short go (68 points).

NMJC's Linden Woods finished eighth in bareback riding with an average of 139 points on two head (71 in the long go, 68 in the short go).

As for the NMJC women, Kellie Collier took 10th in barrel racing with an average of 34.9 seconds after recording a 17.38 in the long go and 17.52 in the short go – both good for 10th.

NMJC next participates in the Western Texas College Rodeo starting Thursday in Snyder, Texas. Results and standings can be found at collegerodeo.com.