The 2019 fall season marked the beginning of a historic partnership for the Central Methodist University community, one that has already begun to see success.
In January, CMU announced it would begin competing in collegiate rodeo, thanks to a partnership with Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Mo. Amanda Phipps was hired as the head coach and began forming the team right away, preparing for competition in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Starting in the fall, the team came together to practice – at the Three Rivers College Farm in Fairdealing, Mo. – and soon began its fall schedule.
Competing in the Ozark Region, the CMU team first traveled down the road to Marshall in September to compete in Missouri Valley College’s Viking Stampede. Two athletes entered the competition in the barrel racing slack evet, Kelsi Haller and Alena Brach Miller. Haller qualified for the short go and finished fourth overall while earning the Eagles a seventh-place finish as a team.
Haller continued to perform at a high level for the team, picking up a second-place short round finish the following week at West Alabama and coming in third at the Three Rivers College event. Miller also continued to run the barrel races, and Abbi Perry and Mackenzie Gass debuted at Three Rivers, as well.
On November 2, Haller finished fourth in the short round at Southern Arkansas University. They then finished out the fall season at Murray State University in Murray, Ky., coming home with a second-place finish in the average after winning the short round.
Haller finished fall competition as the second-ranked barrel racer in the region – in the running for the national college finals to be held in June in Casper, Wyo.
“Kelsi has put our name on the map, scoring our team points at every rodeo,” said Phipps.
The team will continue to compete in the Ozark Region in the spring. See the team page for schedule.