Troy University Athletics
Trojans Mayworth Puts In Overtime
3/14/2007 12:00:00 AM | Rodeo
TROY, Ala. - You'll have to forgive Troy University sophomore Ben Mayworth if he gets a little extra sleep this week.
You'll also have to forgive the permanent smile that is etched across the face of the Sebring, Fla., native. You see, Mayworth, who is a member of the Troy University rodeo team, had a busy weekend.
In addition to competing with the Troy University rodeo team in Mississippi over the weekend, Mayworth also competed in the professional rodeo in Montgomery. In was in Montgomery where Mayworth made his biggest splash, winning the calf roping competition.
Winning any event in rodeo is big because the fields are usually large and jammed with talented cowboys. Such was the case at the Southeastern Livestock Exposition Rodeo at Garrett Coliseum where hundreds of the top cowboys in the country took part in the competition.
"There were 51 other guys in the calf roping, including six or seven of the top ropers in the world," Mayworth said. "It was very prestigious for me to win that event and it means that, maybe someday, I'll have a chance to go pro as well."
College rodeo cowboys are not like other college athletes in one major way - their sport is not sanctioned by the NCAA. When collegians take part in a rodeo, they pay an entry fee for each event, they also have to pay to transport their animals and pay for their upkeep.
But, when they win, they also win prize money, just like the professionals.
For Mayworth, the win in Montgomery meant a paycheck of $1,396. Hardly a bounty, but enough to help with the cost of going to college, traveling the college circuit in the Ozark Region and taking care of Keystone, his 18-year-old quarter horse.
Mayworth said the big crowds in Montgomery didn't bother him, but that reality set in when he realized he was leading his event.
"I was in my own world until I finished and realized the guy behind me in the standings, Doug Farr, made it to the National Finals Rodeo last year," Mayworth said. "When I realized that I had beaten him I almost shed a tear."
In addition to competing at the pro rodeo in Montgomery, Mayworth also competed with the Trojans at the Mississippi State Rodeo in Meridian, Miss. He finished sixth in Meridian despite having the lead after the first round.
"I did well in the first round, but had a little trouble in the second round," Mayworth said. "The calf got up and escaped on me, so I didn't get a time."
Mayworth said it took a lot of planning and road time in order for him to compete in two places at the same time.
"The tough thing is to get entered where you don't have to be at both rodeos at the same time," Mayworth said. "You have to take your chances a little when you enter a pro rodeo, but I got lucky because I had a Thursday and Saturday morning draw. That allowed me to work around the college rodeo."
Mayworth competed in Montgomery in the morning and then drove 220 miles to Meridian to compete in the evening. Fortunately, his regular team-roping partner was not able to compete in Meridian, so he only had one event to worry about.
Such is the life of a college rodeo cowboy, where sometimes your teammates are from other schools and, in Mayworth's case, female.
"Jill Cooper is my team roping partner, and she goes to Vanderbilt," Mayworth said. "She's from New Mexico and she competes as an independent because Vandy doesn't have a team. We met at the high school national finals in Gillette, Wyoming. She's as tough as any guy going."
Mayworth said coming to Troy to go to school and compete in rodeo was a perfect fit for him.
"The great thing for me about college rodeo is having a place to practice and good livestock to practice with," Mayworth said. "Having a covered place to practice is big for me. There are a lot of other schools out there, but Troy was the best for me because it is close to home and it is preparing me to face just about anything."
Mayworth currently stands second in the Ozark Region in tie down roping and, while he has his eyes on the top spot in the region, he is focused on returning to the college national finals in June in Wyoming. This time he'd like to go with the entire Troy team.
"I went last year as an individual, but the team finished third and didn't qualify," Mayworth said. "Right now we are in second, even though we have some new people on the team. I think we'd do well if we got to go, but we still have some work to do."
Mayworth and the Troy rodeo teams will be back in action March 30-31 at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
