Meet the Rodeo Club
Some might think the rodeo season ended after July 24, but for Utah State University’s rodeo club, the season is just heating up.
This weekend, USU students will compete in barrel racing, bareback bronc and bull riding at the Logan Fairgrounds against other colleges and universities in Idaho and Utah.
Sarah Sulser, a junior majoring in accounting and president of the USU Rodeo (Club?), said she would like to see everyone come this weekend.
“It should be a good time,” Sulser said.
Last weekend the club went to Southern Utah University to compete in a college rodeo. Sulser placed fourth overall in the goat-tying event.
She said there are 12 to 13 other colleges that compete in the rodeos.
Derik Page, an undeclared freshman, placed first overall in bareback bronc riding at the SUU rodeo. This is his first year in the club. Page said when he realized he was having more success in bareback bronc riding than other events such as calf roping, he decided to stick to bareback bronc riding. He is the only horse bareback rider on the team.
“That’s just what I chose to do,” Page said.
College rodeo is different than professional rodeo, Sulser said. There are two new female events – goat tying and breakaway. In professional rodeos there is only barrel racing for women. Sulser said breakaway is similar to calf roping, but instead of dismounting and tying, her rope breaks away from her saddle after she ropes the calf.
In all, Sulser said there are six male events and three female events.
Last Thursday, the rodeo club met at the Wellsville Arena with horses and calves for a practice. Bodie Keetch, a junior majoring in agriculture business, was there to practice his calf roping.
Keetch said the calves used in rodeos are taken better care of than a range calf, which might get checked on three times a year.
“Those calves never get touched,” Keetch said.
For practice, the young cows are given a calf collar, which covers a large area on and around the neck for protection.
Keetch also competes in team roping and bulldogging. He said bulldogging is an event where he has to leap from his horse running full speed onto a steer, wrestle it to the ground, and tie it.
Chandler Mundy, a senior majoring in range management, is the only bull rider on the team. He has been bull riding for five years – two semesters at USU. Besides dislocating his shoulder once and most recently being kicked in the mouth after getting bucked off the bull, Mundy said he has been lucky since he has not suffered any serious injuries during his bull-riding career.
“It is the best event, far as I am concerned,” Mundy said.
Wednesday, the rodeo team will be on the Quad for Ag Week. The club will host a horseless rodeo with a mechanical bull and other activities for students to display their rodeo skills.
The club will also be selling tickets for the rodeo on the Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The rodeo is a two-day event this weekend. On both days, showings are at 7 p.m. and there will be a special showing Saturday at 1 p.m. Tickets are $3 before the rodeo and $5 at the door.
-joelfeathers@cc.usu.edu