WT Rodeo Finishes Strong at First Home Contest in Eight Years

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, [email protected]

CANYON, Texas - West Texas A&M University rodeo athletes took home a championship and a reserve championship at their first home rodeo in eight years.

WT's "Let 'Er Buff" College Rodeo was held April 16 to 18 at the Spicer Gripp Arena, 1206 E. New York Ave. in Hereford.

John Hisel, a senior agribusiness major from Elida, New Mexico, and his partner Lyvan Gonzales from New Mexico Junior College were named champion team ropers.

Clayton Veldhuizen, a sophomore agricultural business and economics major from Woodburn, Iowa, was reserve champion steer wrestler.

"I am proud of the students and community that made this happen," said said Cody Bonds, WT Rodeo head coach." We relied heavily on our team members to step up to work and put on this rodeo, and each and every one of them did. We could not have had such a successful rodeo without the support of our community, especially the Spicer Gripp Foundation."

Also placing were Tori Huddleston, a junior health sciences major from Childress, fourth in barrel racing; Sage Gaillard, a junior agricultural media and communication major from Gruver, sixth in barrel racing; Cash Robertson, a freshman equine industry and business major from Edna, sixth in bareback riding; Jake Herndon, a senior agriculture major from Clines Corner, New Mexico, ninth in bareback riding; Weston Peters, a senior agricultural business and economics major from San Antonio, seventh in tie-down roping; Heath Harkins, a freshman agriculture major from Beeville, eighth in tie-down roping; and Abby McCreary, a freshman agribusiness major from Canyon, and Kaiden Stricklen, a freshman agricultural business and economics major from Durant, Oklahoma, eighth in team roping.

A week earlier, the team took home several top honors at the Howard College Rodeo in Big Springs.

Lainey Konetzki, a senior equine industry and business major from Sheridan, Wyoming, placed first in the long round and ninth overall in breakaway roping. Avery Aaron, a freshman animal science major from Edgewood, tied for second in the long round and tied for sixth in average.

Gaillard placed sixth and Marquel Moser, a junior animal science / pre-vet major from Las Vegas, Nevada, placed eighth in barrel racing.

Veldhuizen placed third in steer wrestling, Robertson placed eighth in bareback riding, and Harkins placed fourth in tie-down roping.

The team will celebrate its success at an end-of-year banquet at 6:30 p.m. May 2 in the Piehl-Schaeffer Pavilion on WT's Canyon campus. (See related release.)

Team competition is one way in which WT creates in its students a commitment to being self-reliant, courageous, resourceful and part of something larger than one's self, as laid out in the University's long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which raised more than $200 million dollars, the largest such campaign in Texas Panhandle history.

About West Texas A&M University

West Texas A&M University is a Regional Research University in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers multiple options for students to graduate and succeed: 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor's and master's degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. WT recently earned a Carnegie Foundation classification as a Research College and University. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 16 men's and women's athletics programs.

Photo: The West Texas A&M University Rodeo Team hosted its first home rodeo in eight years April 16 to 18 at the Spicer Gripp Arena in Hereford.

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