Gonzalez and Hatley Move to 1 & 2 in the Team Roping Rankings

Team ropers Lyvan Gonzalez and Cason Hatley made it to the Short Round and placed third in average at the Western Texas Rodeo in Snyder, Texas on Saturday, April 5. 

The roping duo finished second in the Long Round with a 4.4 second time. 

The Short Round was not as quick as they notched a 7.4 second run to place third in the Short Round and add 40 points to their total. The team finished third in the average at 11.8 seconds for another 40 points. 

"Lyvan and Cason drew a steer we didn't love but Lyvan got a good start, and they went fast on him and it worked out for 2nd in the Long Round," NMJC men's rodeo head coach Stewy Kinley said. "We really liked their Short Round steer even though it was a little bigger, stronger, and stepped to the right. Anything that steps left in that little building makes it really tough so one that steps right keeps the run in the center of the arena instead of up the left wall. Lyvan split the horns and fished it on and Cason cleaned it up on the back side like he usually does to be 3rd in the Short Round and 3rd in the average. They got 130 really valuable points out of the weekend and that sets them in a good spot coming into the last two rodeos."

Gonzalez and Hatley's total for the WTC rodeo was 130 points each. They move from fifth and fourth in the header/heeler standings to first and second. Gonzalez is first in the header standings with 345 points and Hatley is second in the heeler standings at 345 points trailing first by 40 points.

"I like where they are in the standings right now but it's definitely not over," Coach Kinley said. "There's a lot of good teams with enough points breathing down their necks that it would be nice to keep the ball rolling and win the next couple of weekends. Being in front definitely takes a little bit of pressure off though."

The men's team increased their team total to 935 points on the year and are now No. 10 in the Southwest Region Standings.

On Sunday, Cason Hatley continued his productive weekend at the Lea County Classic steer roping in Lovington (2 header and a 1 header).

"Cason Hatley won the 2nd round of the 2 header and was 3rd in the average for 100 points," Coach Kinley said. "He also came back and was 2nd in the one header for 126 points and now puts him in a manageable spot to qualify for nationals as well."

Switching over to the women's side.

"Overall, I was proud of how our team competed," NMJC women's rodeo head coach Alexa Wilcox said. "Snyder is not an easy set up and our girls were competitive in all events, even if they didn't qualify to the Short Round. Codi Reed finished in the top 25 of both of her events (breakaway and goat tying) and only missed the breakaway cutoff by two-tenths of a second. Quincy Montoya made a great run in the breakaway roping on one of the worst calves in the pen. Our girls competed well and had many small wins that will carry over into this weekend in Big Spring. It's another tough set up, but it'll play more into our strength of horse power and I'm excited to see what happens." 

The T-Birds next rodeo is the Howard College Rodeo in Big Spring, Texas April 10-12.