Troy Women's Rodeo Opens Season with Victory

Thursday, September 20

Marshall, MO

Troy University

Missouri Valley College

Photo by: Kevin Glackmeyer

Troy Women's Rodeo Opens Season with Victory

9/23/2012 2:51:00 PM | Rodeo

By: Brandon Lee

MVC Results

MARSHALL, Mo. – The Troy rodeo women's team totaled 353 points after Saturday night's short-go round at Missouri Valley College to claim the team title in its first rodeo of the 2012 fall season.

Two newcomers in Kelsey Kennemer and Anna Niewoehner led the way in breakaway roping for the Trojans. Kennemer posted a first round time of 3.5 seconds and a second round time of 2.9 for an average of 6.4 seconds. Her times allowed for a third place finish in the average, and a third place finish overall with 83.3 points.

Niewoehner recorded a first round time of 3.2 seconds and finished seventh overall in the event.

Kassandra Smith, a returning veteran with winning experience in the goat tying event, carried that over into the weekend with an impressive start to her season.

Smith's first round time of 8.3 seconds and second round time of 7.9 seconds made for an average of 16.2, good enough for a tie for second. Her total of 120 points made for a third place overall finish behind Missouri Valley's Shyanne Masters and Southern Arkansas' Sara St. Clair.

Smith also competed in team roping, paired with freshman Kesia Smith, to gain 30 points for the team. The duo combined for a 9.1 second run in the first round to place sixth overall.

Zach Mabry paired with Tennessee-Martin's Ben Walker to record the only points for the Troy men's team. The two combined for a 7.5 second first run, which was good enough for a third place finish overall.

The barrel racing event featured just one Trojan on the final results, as Niewoehner placed fifth overall with 60 points to add to her successful weekend. Her two rounds of 15.75 and 15.36 seconds combined for a total average of 31.11, which placed her fifth in the average.

“We had three freshmen make the short go,” head coach Josh Simmons said. “Anna made the short go in two events and was real promising. Kelsey did really well in what she drew.”

Mabry accounted for the 90 points on the men's team, which placed them tenth, and the women's team's total of 353 points was 48 better than second place Southern Arkansas.

“We didn't draw that great in the long go, they got by the harder stock, but we were able to make it through it and capitalize on it,” Simmons said.

The two teams will have a week of rest to regroup before returning to the rodeo arena October 4-6 in Murray, Ky. to compete at the Murray State University Rodeo.