**For Immediate Release**
OPSU Fall Rodeo Season Ends with a Bang
-released by OPSU Campus Communications 10-31-05
by Laura Dahl

The final fall National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Central Plains Region rodeo wrapped up Sunday at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva. The men’s team came home with a second place win, Trell Etbauer won the men’s All-Around, and several other team members brought home first place in a number of events.

Etbauer swept the short round of the saddle bronc riding with an 82 point ride, and that score also helped him win the average. His nearest competitor posted a 73, and only five of the eleven in the final round made a qualified ride. Weston Ireland split third and fourth in the first go of that event, and Will Payne also made the short round. In the bareback riding, Brian Leddy and Taos Muncy placed fifth and sixth in the average respectively, and Logan Hodson added team points with his third and fourth place split in the long round. Hodson also made the short round of the bull riding.

Hodson also had an outstanding performance in the steer wrestling. He placed third in the long go, second in the short go, and split first and second place in the average. Etbauer won the short round, and placed third in the average, while Seth Schafer took fifth place in both the short round and the average.

With accurate loops and precise timing, the team roping pair of Levi Swafford and Eli Eastman placed first in the short go with a quick 6.1 second run and went on to win the average. Cody Dees and Etbauer also made the short go in that event. In the calf roping, Etbauer split third and fourth in the first go, and Chance Hays also returned for the short round.

On the women’s side, Chancy Etbauer split first and second place with a 7.5 second run in the short round of the goat tying and placed first in the average of that event.

Coach Craig Latham said, “I’m proud of the kids and tickled with what I’ve seen. We’ve got lots of talent, and it’s starting to show.” The team has several months before the spring season begins, and during that time they will also be working hard to raise funds. The annual rodeo auction is set for Saturday, January 28, 2006, and provides the community an opportunity to help support OPSU’s winning rodeo team.

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