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Gillette women’s team sitting first at college finals

Former college champ having success again at College National Finals rodeo

CASPER, Wyo. (June 14, 2016) – Taylor Santos walked away with his first national championship in the tie-down roping at the 2014 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) as a freshman.

When he earned that title he was competing for Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo. He qualified again last year competing for Cal Poly. Then in the fall, he made the journey to Texas moving to Huntsville and joining the ranks of the Sam Houston State University Bearkats.



He had a blazing-fast run in the third round at the first performance of the rodeo on Tuesday night, stopping the clock in 7.5 seconds. That is the fastest time here so far through two preliminary rounds held on Monday and Tuesday.

His success in the third round gave him command of the overall standings. He has a total time of 29.2 seconds on three runs. Ben Walker from the University of Tennessee – Martin is in second with 31.3.



Santos, who is from Creston, Calif., was just one-tenth of a second off of the arena record of 7.4 seconds set at the 2015 CNFR by Blane Cox from Hill (Hillsboro, Texas) College. He now has to wait through three more performances to see if he qualifies for Saturday night’s final round and has a chance to earn another championship here.

Last year’s Rookie of the Year in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in the steer wrestling is also having success here. J.D. Struxness from Appleton, Minn., has been attending Northwestern Oklahoma State University. His coach, Stockton Graves, has plenty of steer wrestling experience which may be rubbing off.

Struxness is leading the third round of competition with a 4.0-second run and the overall standings with a total time of 13.9 seconds on three. If he qualifies for the finals on Saturday night and leaves Casper in that first-place position it would be his first National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association steer wrestling title.

Third Round Results and averages:

(Complete results are available at http://www.cnfr.com)

Bareback Riding: (third round) 1, Chad Rutherford, McNeese State University, 76 points. 2, Logan Patterson, Panhandle State University, 72. 3, EdMiles Harvey, University of New Mexico, 69. 4, Cache Hill, University of Great Falls, 67.5. (total on three) 1, Logan Patterson, Panhandle State University, 209. 3, Cache Hill, University of Great Falls, 203.5. 4, Blake Smith, Dickisnson State University, 201.

Tie-Down Roping: (third round) 1, Taylor Santos, Sam Houston State University, 7.5 seconds. 2, Ben Walker, University of Tennessee – Martin, 8.3. 3, Jarrett Oestmann, Iowa Central Community College, 10.1. 4, Taylor Skinner, Montana State University, 14.7. (total on three) 1, Taylor Santos, Sam Houston State University, 29.2. 2, Ben Walker, University of Tennessee – Martin, 31.3. 3, Bryce Bott, Casper College, 51.7. (on two) Jarrett Oestmann, Iowa Central Community College, 19.0.

Steer wrestling: (third round) 1, J.D. Struxness, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 4.0 seconds. 2, Jared Parke, Blue Mountain Community College, 4.3. 3, Jacob Edler, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 4.8. 4, Wyatt Lindsay, New Mexico State University, 5.2. (total on three) 1, J.D. Struxness, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 13.9. 2, Jacob Edler, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 14.6. 3, Wyatt Lindsay, New Mexico State University, 15.5. 4, Kodie Jang, Western Texas College, 16.6.

Breakaway Roping: (third round) 1, Chrissy Morris, University of West Alabama, 2.2 seconds. 2, Kimberlyn Fitch, Idaho State University, 2.3. 3, (tie) Tamara Tunink, Texas Tech University – Lubbock, and Brandy Schaack, Northeastern Junior College, 2.6 each. (total on three) 1, Tess Turk, University of Montana – Western, 9.4. 2, Cate Hirschy, Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo, 10.0. 3, Kimberlyn Fitch, Idaho State University, 17.8. 4, Brandy Schaack, Northeastern Junior College, 19.0.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (third round – two rides) 1, Cody Ruby, Snow College, 72 points. 2, Will Centoni, Cuesta College, 63. (total on two) 1, Tucker Hill, Walla Walla Community College, 137.5. 2, Will Centoni, Cuesta College, 133. 3, Cody Ruby, Snow College, 133. 4, Josh Davison, New Mexico State University, 123.

Team Roping: (third round) 1, Clay Crozier, Southern Utah University and Brody Adams, Colorado Northwest Community College, 6.3 seconds. 2, Lane Lowry, Cuesta College, and Colton Campbell, California State University – Fresno, 7.0. 3, Ky Barry, Central Arizona College and Carl Sweazea, New Mexico State University, 10.8. 4, Treg Schaack, and David Hinman, West Texas A & M University, 12.4. (total on three) 1, Lane Lwory, Cuesta College and Colton Campbell, California State University – Fresno, 21.8. (on two) 2, Lane Livingston, Weatherford, College and Reno Stoebner, Ranger college, 13.8. 3, Ky Barry, Central Arizona College and Carl Sweazea, New Mexico State University16.8. 4, Clay Crozier, Southern Utah University and Brody Adams, Colorado Northwest Community College, 18.6.

Goat Tying: (third round) 1, Janey Reeves, Cochise College, 6.1 seconds. 2, (tie) Tawny Barry, Eastern New Mexico University, and Tenille Rhodes, Southern Utah University, 6.4. 4, (tie) Coralee Spratt, Gillette College, and Kesia Smith, University of West Alabama, 6.5. (total on three) 1, Makayla Boots, Cochise College, 20.2. 2, Kesia Smith, University of West Alabama, 20.4. 3, Ashleigh Baugh, Tarleton State University, 21.0. 4, Jacoby Hotsenpiller, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 21.4.

Barrel Racing: (third round) 1, Cassidy Webster, Missouri Valley College, 14.04 seconds. 2, Kendall Gentry, Murray State College, 14.31. 3, Nalynn Cline, New Mexico State University, 14.32. 4, Lexus Kelsch, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, 14.34. (total on three) 1, Cassidy Webster, Missouri Valley College, 42.50. 2, Kendall Gentry, Murray State Univerwswity, 42.78. 3, Lexus Kelsch, Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. 4, Georgia Diez, Cochise College, 43.35.

Bull Riding: (third round – three rides) 1, Wyatt Rogers, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 78.5 points. 2, Fulton Rutland, Panola Junior college, 74. 3, Brody Yeary, Tarleton State University, 68. (total on two) 1, Fulton Rutland, Panola Junior College, 151.5. 2, Wyatt Rogers, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 149.5. 3, Brody Yeary, Tarleton State University, 141.5.

Men’s All-Around: 1, Clayton Bilow, Feather River College, 200. 2, Marcus Theriot, East Mississippi Community College, 190. 3, Wyatt Casper, Clarendon College, 160. 4, Lane Santos-Karney, Feather River College, 120.

Women’s All-Around: 1, Danyelle Williams, Blue Mountain Community College, 155. 2, (tie) Taylor Engesser, Gillette College, and Coralee Spratt, Gillette college, 115. 4, Georgia Diez, Cochise College, 37.

Men’s Team: 1, Feather River College, 465. 2, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 345. 3, Sam Houston State University, 300. 4, Panhandle State University, 280.

Women’s Team: 1, Gillette College, 305. 2, Blue Mountain Community College, 260. 3, Cochise College, 187. 4, Missouri Valley College, 175.

–College National Finals Rodeo