Women's Rodeo Claims 2012-13 Regional Team Championship

Thursday, April 11

Martin, Tenn.

Troy University

Tennessee-Martin

Women's Rodeo Claims 2012-13 Regional Team Championship

4/14/2013 10:06:00 AM | Rodeo

By: Brandon Lee

MARTIN, Tenn. – The Troy rodeo teams wrapped up competition in the 2012-13 Ozark Region season Saturday night at the UT-Martin Rodeo, with the Troy women's team claiming the Ozark Region team championship, while four other individuals qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo to be held in June.

The women entered the event with a substantial lead, and left Tennessee as the Ozark Region women's team champions after picking up 230 points at the regular-season finale. The Trojans finished with 2,723.33 points and topped every other team in the region by more than 800 points.

The men finished the season eighth in the region with 1,310 points after gaining 100 at Tennessee-Martin this weekend.

Troy's highlight again came in goat tying, where sisters Kassandra and Kesia Smith finished first and fourth. Kesia recorded a time of 6.7 seconds in Friday night's long-go to qualify for the short-go on Saturday, where she blistered a time of 6.1 seconds to win the event and claim 170 points.

Kassandra won Friday night's long-go with a 6.5 second run, and finished out the event Saturday night in fourth with 60 total points.

In breakaway roping, Anna Niewoehner finished seventh with 10 points.

Zack Mabry picked up the men's team's 100 total points in team roping, as he and Tennessee-Martin's Ben Walker finished Saturday night in third. The duo ran a fast time of 6.8 seconds, but was given a five second penalty. The penalty still allowed for a third-place finish, as the duo qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo just by making it to Saturday night's round.

Other results from the weekend are posted below: Barrel racing (Kendyll Rushing 14.03 first round, 14.17 seconds in short-go; Anna Niewoehner 14.22 second run Friday night; Sommer Walker 16.7 second run in Friday morning's slack; Shelby Wallin 15 second run in Friday morning's slack; Stephanie Housch 14.5 second run in Friday morning's slack; Kassandra Smith 14.94 second run in Friday morning's slack; Cassidy Aldridge 14 second time in Friday morning's slack; Chelsea Manass 14.5 second run in Friday morning's slack; Goat tying (Kelsey Kennemer 7.4 second run Friday night, 7.8 second run in Saturday night's short-go); Breakaway roping (Anna Niewoehner 3.1 second run in Friday morning's slack)

Unofficially, four Trojans plus the women's team qualified for June's College National Finals Rodeo. Kennemer's second-place finish in breakaway roping on the season will send her to Casper, Wyo, while sisters Kassandra and Kesia will represent Troy in the goat tying event. Zack Mabry qualified for the finals in team roping as Troy's fourth member to advance to the national stage.

All results, including this weekend's and final standings, are unofficial until audited by the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Official results will be posted Monday, and TroyTrojans.com will post a full rundown of the points and CNFR qualification updates when that list becomes available.

For more information, be sure to visit TroyTrojans.com. Fans can find Troy Athletics on Twitter at @TroyAthletics, Troy Rodeo at @TroyRodeo, and on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/TroyAthletics, or www.Facebook.com/TroyUniversityRodeoTeam.