Three Northwest Mississippi Athletes Reach College National Finals Rodeo Short Go
CASPER, Wyo. — Three athletes from Northwest Mississippi Community College made it to the Short Go at the College National Finals Rodeo on Saturday night at the Ford Wyoming Center. Head coach Will Lummus said all three advanced from the preliminary rounds.
Will Collier, a junior steer wrestler from Malden, Missouri, entered the final in sixth place. He posted a run of 3.6 seconds, which was later penalized to 13.6 seconds due to a broken barrier. Despite the penalty, he finished one place behind the top four finalists, with Andrew Morian of Clarendon College winning the event with a 17.1-second total on four head.
Collier, who competed in Wyoming three years in a row, ends his college rodeo career as one of the most decorated in Northwest history. He finished in the top ten at the CNFR in his final two years, according to the school.
Raegan Chance, a freshman from Mendenhall, competed in barrel racing. She entered the final in fourth place after three runs and delivered her best time of 13.87 seconds. However, two riders before her and the eventual winner, Devin Young of Texas A&M, tipped barrels or finished with faster times, leaving Chance in third overall. She finished as the Reserve National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Champion in barrel racing and was third in the Women’s Rookie of the Year standings.
In bull riding, sophomore Dakota Smith from Kaufman, Texas, came into the final in seventh place. He delivered a standout ride on Grassy Butte from Salt River Rodeo, scoring 82.75 points. The performance moved him into fifth place nationally, as the top six bull riders advanced. Smith’s score was enough to secure his position, and he finished the week with 200 points, placing him fifth in the nation.
Hayden Welsh of Odessa College won the event with a total score of 251.75 on three rides. Smith, a two-time CNFR qualifier, has placed in the top ten at the event both years he competed as a Ranger. The team finished 20th overall with 200 points, while Chance’s third-place finish contributed to Northwest’s eighth-place team standing with 160 points, according to the school.
Follow Northwest Athletics on social media or at nwccrangers.com for more updates.
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