MARTIN, Tenn. ? The cowboys
of Troy made a strong showing at the 40th
annual University
of Tennessee-Martin rodeo
this weekend.
Sophomore Clint Keller earned top honors in the tie-down
roping with a total time of 19.1 seconds in two rounds of competition. Keller
won the first round with a time of 9.0 seconds and finished in the championship
round with a time of 10.1 seconds. He would earn a total of 150 total points
during the rodeo towards the standings in the Ozark Region.
Teammate and fellow sophomore Stetson Aldridge was able to
earn points in the steer wrestling and the tie-down roping for the Troy team. Aldridge won the championship round with a
time of 8.1 seconds and finished fourth in the overall average with a time of
19.8 on two calves. Aldridge earned a total of 90 points in the tie-down roping
and 80 points in the steer wrestling.
Junior Andy Seiler and sophomore Mark Gentry earned points
for the second week in a row in the team roping with a total time of 26.1
seconds on two steers. The team of Seiler and Gentry earned 70 points apiece,
each earning 225 each over the past two competitions.
Freshmen team ropers Aaron Lowe and Will Bradley also earned
points in the team roping with a total time of 24.6 seconds on two steers. The
pair earned 90 points apiece, adding to the 60 point total the duo started two
weeks ago at the University of Arkansas-Monticello rodeo.
Others earning points for Troy included junior Ben Mayworth
in the calf roping, Jake Thomas in the steer wrestling, Jackie Jacobs in the
breakaway roping, Kindal Jumper in the barrel racing competition, freshman
Catina Caruthers in the breakaway and goat tying competitions, senior Chris Graham in the calf roping, and sophomore Mary Owens in the breakaway roping.
The Troy Trojan men's team finished third overall at the
rodeo with a total of 510 points, 160 points behind first place team Missouri Valley College.
The women's team finished fifth at the rodeo with a team total of 35 points.
The next competition for the Troy rodeo team is April 17-19,
in Senatobia, Miss., at the Northwest Mississippi
Community College Rodeo. Thursday night's performance begins at 7 p.m., and the
Friday and Saturday night performances beginning at 7:30 p.m.
