NMJC (M-Rodeo) Ends Fall with 6 to the Short Round

The NMJC men's rodeo team finished the fall season in Childress, Texas at the Clarendon College Stampede on Saturday, Nov. 15.

The NMJC men sent six Thunderbirds to the Short Round this week. 

Treyden Gonzales was the top Thunderbird in Childress. He finished fifth in the Long Round of the tie down roping with a 12.5 second run to earn 20 points. Gonzales followed up that performance with a 9.3 second run that split first and second in the Short Round which nabbed him 55 points. He won third in the average to add 40 points. Gonzales is in third place in the Caprock Region tie down roping standings with 285 points. 

Cash Trexler had a productive week in the tie down as well. The sophomore was fourth in the Long Round of the tie down roping with a 12.2 run for 30 points. He was third in the Short Round with a time of 10.2 which added 40 points. Trexler ended the rodeo fourth in the average for 30 points.  Trexler is second in the Caprock Region tie down roping standings with 290 points and is just 50 points back of Clarendon's Wyatt Williams. 

"Treyden has been rock solid for us," NMJC men's rodeo head coach Stewy Kinley said. "He made two really good runs on a tough set of calves. They were big and soggy. He set up his runs as good as anyone especially in the Short Round and put the pressure on the guys that were ahead of him. Cash also did an outstanding job again this week. It's almost the same story with these two guys. They're racking up the points exactly how we need to. Cash let Treyden ride his good calf horse so it's pretty cool to see both these guys win on her. She's pretty special."

The men's team was led this week by Gonzales and Trexler who earned 215 points. The T-Birds are in sixth place in the Caprock Region with 1375 points. 

Lyvan Gonzalez broke the ice finishing second in the Long Round with a 6.2 second run for 50 points. He was a no time in the Short Round and was fourth in the average for 30 points. Gonzalez is the lone T-Bird returner that made it to Casper, WY for the College National Finals. 

Brock Boutwell placed third in the Long Round of the team roping with a 6.3 second run for 40 points and was a no time in the Short Round. Boutwell was fifth in the average for 20 points. 

"Lyvan finally got on the board," Coach Kinley said. "He spun a good steer in the Long Round and got the monkey off his back. I know he'd like to have that Short Round steer back but that's rodeo sometimes. The Short Round fell apart and we didn't get to capitalize on it. Brock Boutwell also made a good run in the Long Round. The short go didn't go as planned either."

The team roping for the Short Round only saw two teams record a time Saturday night. 

Bull rider Jestin Jacklin finished fourth in the Long Round with a 76 point ride to win 30 points. He was a no score in the short go and placed fifth in the average for another 20 points. 

Triston Flinn was T-7 in the Long Round of the bareback riding with a 68 and finished fifth in the Short Round with a score of 60. Flinn was also fifth in the average. The freshman finished with 20 points in the Short Round and 20 in the average. Flinn is the only Thunderbird to have made all five Short Rounds in the fall and is 10th in the region standings with 60 points. 

"Triston's been getting scores on all of his horses. He's been consistent," Coach Kinley said. "He got a reride in the Short Round this weekend and was pretty gassed before he got on it. That horse wasn't any better than his first and he just got by. He got to move up a few spots in the average and get some points."

Although Teagan Taylor-Roukema did not make the short go this week, he still is the No. 1 heeler in the Caprock Region for team roping with 470 points. He is 180 points in front of second place Trey Adams of South Plains.

"Overall, we had a decent fall. I'm not real thrilled about the way we finished it off and we'll have to make up some ground in the spring, but these guys are up for the task," Coach Kinley said. "We won quite a bit and messed up our fair share of chances to win at other times. Our first two rodeos were a little bit slow for us. Our 3rd and 4th rodeos were great and then this last weekend was a little slow again. We let way too many chances get away from us and the standings reflect that. It won't happen again in the spring. We've got work to do." 

"On a positive note, Teagan Taylor is leading the team roping by quite a bit. Cash and Treyden are sitting 2nd and 3rd in the tie down. Treyden also has some good points in the team roping. Connor Box and Gunnar Tipton have some points. Lucas Ozirney and Jestin Jacklin have some points in the bull riding. Cord Smith and Louk Thomas have some points racked up in the team roping. Now Lyvan Gonzalez has some points in the team roping as well. Jace Beierbach has a few points in the steer wrestling."

The Thunderbirds end the fall at the Clarendon College Stampede and will pick back up in the spring at the Odessa College Rodeo Feb. 26-28.