Taylor-Roukema Earns Co-Champion Honors at the Thunderbird Rodeo
NMJC rodeo sent nine men to the Short Round of the Thunderbird Rodeo in Hobbs, NM on Saturday, Oct. 25.
Teagan Taylor-Roukema was the highlight of the weekend after being named the Co-Champion in the team roping competition.
"It's so cool to have one our own win the hometown rodeo in the first one ever here," NMJC men's rodeo head coach Stewy Kinley said. "I'm really proud of that. I know he is too."
Taylor-Roukema finished the Long Round in fourth place with a 7.7 run to earn 30 points. He won the Short Round with a 6.5 to pick up an additional 60 points. The sophomore was tied in the average at 14.2 seconds which gave him 55 more points.
Roukema ended the rodeo as the Co-Champion with 145 points total. Taylor-Roukema leads the Caprock Region team roping heeler standings with 325 points. The nearest competitor is 95 points behind Roukema.
"Teagan's been doing a great job catching two feet when it matters the most. His header (Jacob Walters) has been roping really smart and setting him up to finish the run," Coach Kinley said. "They're doing exactly what they've needed to do to be at the top of the region."
Lucas Ozirney won the Long Round of the bull riding with a score of 83 to grab 60 points. Ozirney had a no score in the Short Round but due to every other competitor besides the winner being thrown off the bull he finished second in the average earning 50 points for a total of 110 points.
"Lucas made a really good ride in the first round," Coach Kinley said. "It's been fun watching him continue to get better every week. He's been working really hard and having fun. That's what it's all about."
Treyden Gonzales was seventh in the Long Round for the tie down roping. A terrific performance won him the Short Round with a 9.7 second run to grab 60 points. He was 21.1 in the average for another 50 points and a total of 110 points.
"Treyden made an outstanding run in the Short Round," Kinley said. "He knocked the start out and set up a really good run. He put the pressure on and almost got the win. He's made a strong showing the last two rodeos and I think we'll continue to see him put those kinds of runs together the rest of the season."
Team ropers Cord Smith and Louk Thomas were eighth in the Long Round with a time of 10.4 seconds. They registered an 8.3 in the Short Round but a plus 10 for breaking the barrier put them at 18.3 for the Short Round. Smith and Thomas received 10 points for a sixth-place finish in the Short Round and an additional 10 points for the average.
Triston Flinn placed eighth in the Long Round of the bareback riding with a score of 64. A 70 in the Short Round pushed him into sixth place to earn 10 points. Flinn finished seventh in the average.
Jace Beierbach made it to the Short Round in both the steer wrestling and the bull riding. In the steer wrestling, Beierbach tied for third in the Long Round to earn 35 points. A 7.1 ended up being eighth in the Short Round. Beierbach was seventh in the Long Round of the bull riding with a score of 56. He had a no score in the Short Round and placed seventh in the average.
Connor Box competed in the tie down roping where he was sixth in the Long Round earning 10 points. An 18.5 was seventh in the Short Round.
Team roper Brock Boutwell placed 10th in the Long Round with a 13.2 second run. He was a no time in the short go.
Gonzales, Roukema, and Beierbach accounted for 290 of the men's team points this week. The men's team is in sixth place in the Caprock Region standings with 595 points.
"I loved the effort this week. These guys continue to get better each rodeo, Coach Kinley said. "I know what they're capable of so it was nice to see them win where they should be winning especially at home. I expect to see them keep gaining momentum and the rest of the group to follow suit. This community has been so supportive of us getting to host a rodeo again so I'm glad we could give them something to be proud of as well."
The Thunderbirds are right back at it Thursday, Oct. 30 in Lubbock, Texas for the Texas Tech Rodeo held Oct 30-Nov. 1 at the Texas Tech Equestrian Center.