Troy University Athletics
Trojans Hope to Rope in National Title
6/14/2008 5:00:00 AM | Rodeo
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - It's a long haul from Troy to the national championship that will be awarded next Saturday.
Long as in 1,800 miles or so and long as in 30 hours in a truck to Casper, Wyo., for the College National Finals Rodeo, hauling horses and tack and teammates who might not even be in school at Troy.
College rodeo is different.
The NCAA does not sponsor rodeo, but the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's national championship is in its 60th year with the past 10 at the Casper Events Center. Troy and the University of West Alabama are the only teams in Alabama, and both will be represented.
Troy has five cowboys and three cowgirls who earned spots in the nationals that begin Sunday with their finish in the Ozark regional rodeo, while two cowgirls from West Alabama qualified.
Student-athletes will be competing for individual titles in saddle bronc riding, bare back riding, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying. The school that racks up the most points in both men's and women's events wins the team championship.
Troy's Mark Gentry of Pelham and Andy Seiler of Ocala, Fla., will be competing for the team roping title - for their school, but not on the same team. Their partners are brothers Bart and Wes Brunson, who attend college at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.
"That's the beauty of rodeo," said Seiler, Troy's first rodeo academic All-American who also works for the sports information department. "You network so much."
Seiler and Gentry were both contacted earlier this week via cell phone. Seiler was just across the Missouri line headed to Casper while Gentry was 20 miles from Lincoln, Neb.
"We stay places and spend the night with friends we've met at rodeos in the last year," Seiler said. "We have to stop to let the horses rest. A lot of people don't give cowboys credit. We have to map all this stuff out and there's a lot of planning and execution that goes into the travel part.
"The baseball team gets on the bus and rides. We don't have equipment managers. We are the equipment managers."
Rodeo is a lifestyle for the competitors, who can win prize money and will be competing for a championship-signifying saddle as well as cash at the national finals.
"I've been riding since I could walk," Seiler said. "My mom competed in high school rodeo and my dad started roping when he met my mom.
"When I get home, they are not just excited to see me, they are excited because, `Hey, we can rope together, Andy's home!'"
Gentry, a junior-to-be business major, said he began his rodeo career at around11 years old. "It is a family thing," he said. "I've always been around horses.
"I played baseball my freshman year at Pelham, but it was just too hectic to do both, especially at the high school level. They practice every afternoon until about 8 o'clock. And, rodeo pays money. Baseball was not paying anything to play."
No. 1 in nation:
Gentry goes into the finals as the No.1-ranked team roper in the nation, based on points earned in 10 college rodeos over the fall and spring semesters. While they are not roping together in Casper, Gentry and Seiler did team up during the year.
Seiler is a header; he ropes the steer by the horns. Gentry is the heeler; he ropes their feet.
"I had a pretty good year," Gentry said. "I do feel confident. We've all been working hard at it. In our region, we have a bunch of No.1-ranked guys."
Seiler, who won half of a $36,000 prize for fourth place with his dad in the National Team Roping Finals in Oklahoma City in October, called next week's extravaganza in Casper the "pinnacle of our college careers."
"We're all very excited about going," he said. "We've practiced really hard all year to get here. It's an honor to represent our school." Check out Perrin's blog at blog.al.com/pressbox mperrin@bhamnews.com
Kiker to kick off competition for Trojans:
Freshman Tabitha Kiker will be the first Trojan in the arena at the College National Finals Rodeo, competing in the breakaway competition today, June 15 at 1:00 p.m. Mountain time.
The CNFR is held at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyo from now until the championship round on Saturday, June 21. Kiker hopes to be the first Trojan from the women's team to earn points for the Trojans and make a run at a national title.
Stay up to date and get information on the Troy Trojans and the CNFR at www.cnfr.com and www.troytrojans.com.
