USU hosts rodeo
Throughout Utah, Idaho and Nevada, Utah State University students compete for a chance at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo.
This weekend USU students will be both competing in and sponsoring their own rodeo at the fairgrounds in Logan. Events will be Friday night at 7 p.m., Saturday at 1 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 at the gate.
Saturday’s night events will be a final round for the top winners.
The contestants will participate in nine events. There are 18 members competing against others from 16 different schools, said Jeff Hall, professor in the animal science department and the team’s coach.
The events include bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, steer wrestling, team roping, calf roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying.
Hall said, according to current standings, USU has three members placed in the top 10 in the region. Danny Blackhurst, a sophomore in animal science is fifth in the bareback riding. Tyler Kunz, a junior in elementary education, is fifth in the calf roping and David Clark, a senior in business is third in saddle bronc riding. The men’s team is fifth in the region.
Hall said the competition is with other schools in the region earning points for placing in the top four. After 10 rodeos, the points are totaled and the top 10 in each event go on to compete at the inter-regional finals rodeo. The top two in each region and the top seven at the inter-regional finals qualify for nationals.
Unlike other college sports, rodeo allows professionals to compete in its events Hall said. Some contestants also compete in the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association.
Most of the members ride their own horses in the events, Hall said. Carol Hupe, a freshman in animal science, competes in barrel racing.
“It’s fun. I hauled my horse all the way out from Michigan,” Hupe said. “She’s one of my few possessions.”
Team members usually travel together when going to rodeos, Hall said. They use proceeds from the rodeo to help offset travel expenses for the contestants and their horses.
Brittany Elmer, a freshman in psychology, also competes in barrel racing. She said, it’s more fun when you go with people.
Hall said he worries “people don’t think of academics when they think of rodeo.”
He said in the last four years, he has had four students go on to graduate school and two go on to veterinary school.
While traveling to the rodeos, he remembers staying up at nights in their hotel room with one student tutoring him to get his GPA up so he could get into graduate school, Hall said.
Hall said, years ago he was at a rodeo in the South competing in bull riding. The bull he drew to ride was named Poison. When he heard this, he started laughing and someone asked him what was funny. He said he was a poison control specialist. The announcer heard this and made a big deal about it, Hall said. People think it is interesting he has two doctorates and has accumulated 17 years in college.
For more information on college rodeos go to www.collegerodeo.com.