Meier Claims SWOSU All-Around
Jordan Muncy
 

Weatherford, Okla. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State University rodeo teams made their way to Weatherford, Oklahoma this past weekend for the fifth of six spring rodeos in the Central Plains Region 2010 season. It was a windy weekend at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, but it could not stop the Aggie talent from pushing through. The men's team walked away with a huge, much needed victory, a full 145 points ahead of the second place team, Connors State University. The team win came with much help from the rodeo's all around cowboy, L. D. Meier.

 L. D. Meier took second place in the average of the tie-down roping in Weatherford. — Dale Hirschman photo
 

Meier, originally from Limon, Colorado, kicked off his weekend by posting the fastest time in the long round of tie-down roping, leaving him in the top spot headed into the short round. When the last calf had left the chute, Meier walked away with second place behind Western Oklahoma State College's Brodie Poppino, just one tenth of a second away from the title. In the bull riding, Meier headed into the short round in a respectable third position, but managed to ride his final bull well enough to post the highest marked ride of the entire rodeo, leaving him first in the average. Meier left Weatherford with a beautiful saddle and buckle, along with some well-earned cash. A true all-around hand, Meier won the All-Around title by working both ends of the arena, a feat not many cowboys can accomplish. However, Meier wasn't the only cowboy representing the Aggies well, or to walk away with a title.

Seth Hardwick has become a familiar name in the bareback riding short rounds. Hardwick posted the highest score of the weekend with an 83 marked ride in the long round, leaving him way ahead going into the championship round. In the end, Hardwick was named the winner, and awarded a beautiful buckle.

Hardwick and Meier may be found wearing their championship buckles around campus, but they have another teammate who has one, too. Troy Crowser also walked away with a championship buckle. Crowser won the saddle bronc riding with a combined score of 154 points. The bucking horses were young and wild; in fact, they were so hard to ride that just two cowboys managed to ride both their long round and short round horses — Crowser, along with teammate Whit Peterson, the Wyoming freshman, who took second place. Justin Hegwer qualified for the short round, but had some tough luck in the short round on a wild horse.

Also qualifying for the short round was Tyrel Oullette in the tie-down roping. After posting two solid, consistent runs, Oullette landed a fifth place overall finish, earning points toward the team title. Before Weatherford's rodeo, the Aggie men were leading the regional team standings by 195 points. The points earned this past weekend will greatly help the team hold on to their top position, and hopes of qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo in June.

The women's team saw four back for the short round. Callie Schafer managed to rope both of her breakaway calves fast enough for a fourth place finish overall, even after borrowing a horse in the short round after her horse came up lame. In the barrel racing, three of the ten cowgirls to compete in Saturday night's short round were Aggies. Whitney Knippling qualified for her second short round in a row in the barrel racing after a top ten finish at OPSU's college rodeo last weekend. Chaney Latham posted a beautiful, smooth run in the long round, but hit a barrel in the short round, still finishing in the top ten. Jordan Muncy, the third Aggie on the barrel racing roster, posted the fastest time of the rodeo with a 16.82 in the short round, giving her a second place finish overall. Muncy also qualified in the goat tying, where she finished in the top ten.

Just one rodeo separates the Aggies from the College National Finals Rodeo set for June 13-19 in Casper, Wyoming. Cowboys and cowgirls gear up to give one final shot at qualifying for the rodeo they work towards all year. The team will travel to Hays, Kansas, for the final regular season rodeo this weekend. Go Aggies!