With three final competitions, the Central Methodist University rodeo team ended its second season under head coach Amanda Phipps. The team performed well at each rodeo, held at the University of Arkansas-Monticello, University of Tennessee-Martin, and Northwest Mississippi Community College.
At the UAM rodeo on April 1-3, three CMU athletes made the short round of their competitions. Larrya Stegall finished with a seventh-place run in the breakaway roping short go, giving her a seventh-place average finish as well. Leah Jackson finished seventh in the long go of the barrel racing event but unfortunately tipped a barrel in the short round.
The top CMU performer for the weekend was Kelsi Haller, who placed fourth in the long go before stepping up for a third-place finish in the short round and third place in the average. Overall, the team finished in fourth place for the weekend.
At UT-Martin, Haller had another good performance in a tight competition, finishing sixth in the average and racking up 20 points for the team. In the breakaway roping event, Madison Steele finished one place away from making the short round. Stegall clocked a great time in the event, but was disqualified for breaking the barrier. She also competed in the barrel racing event, placing in the top 20.
The team came up against some strong competition in the final rodeo of the spring, at NMCC. Jackson, Stegall, and Haller all had good runs in barrel racing, placing in the top 20 but missing out on the 10 spots for the short round.
Haller finished the season as the fifth-place barrel racer in the Ozark Region, qualifying for seven out of 10 short rounds and never hitting a barrel.
“I think she is the only one this year not to [hit a barrel],” said Phipps. “That speaks volumes to how consistent she is.”
The NMCC rodeo marked the last collegiate rodeo for Haller and Alena Brach Miller, who will graduate in May. Phipps says she will miss their leadership but is looking forward to the future of the team.
“I’m sad because they are originals who started the team. But I am excited for new team members,” she said. “Our little team has really done well this season, and I couldn’t ask for better students.”