61st NIRA Rodeo this weekend at Sul Ross

Sul Ross State University-where intercollegiate rodeo began-will host the 61st annual National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) event Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 5-7.

Competition begins at 7 p.m. each evening in the S.A.L.E. Arena. General admission is $5. Children under 12 and Sul Ross faculty, staff and students with ID will be admitted free.

Seventeen Southwest Region university and college teams will join Sul Ross in the competition, including: Angelo State University, San Angelo; Clarendon College; Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, N.M.; Frank Phillips College, Borger; Howard College, Big Spring; Mesalands Community College, Tucumcari, N.M.; New Mexico Jr. College, Hobbs, N.M.; Odessa College; Ranger Junior College; South Plains College, Levelland; Tarleton State University, Stephenville; Texas Tech University, Lubbock; Vernon Junior Regional College; Weatherford College; West Texas A&M University, Canyon; and Western Texas College, Snyder.

Seven Sul Ross State University co-eds will compete for the 2006 Miss Rodeo Sul Ross title. Coronation will be held Saturday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m., prior to the rodeo.

Candidates include: Alice Harris, Gatesville, sophomore, animal science and agricultural education; Kathleen Allison, Roosevelt, junior, mathematics and education major; Amanda Renfro, Fort Worth, sophomore, physical therapy; Kaydi Kubala, El Campo, junior, animal science and production; Mary Briggs, Odessa, junior, animal health; Tawnya Myers, Hayfork, Calif., equine science.

Sul Ross boasts nine national team championships, seven men's and two women's, and 24 individual event titles. The rodeo team won men's championships in 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1962, 1982 and 1983 and women's crowns in 1962 and 1985. Only Southeastern Oklahoma State University boasts as many national team championships, five men's and four women's.

Current Sul Ross women's team member Kaycee Watt, Claresholm, Alberta, Canada, competed in goat tying at the 2006 College Finals Rodeo, and earned Academic All-American honors.

Harley May, a member of the first three men's championship teams, won eight national collegiate titles, three world championships in steer wrestling on the professional circuit, and was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979. He returned to coach the Sul Ross rodeo teams from 1994-98.

May won the all-around men's championships from 1949-51; bareback riding in 1949; bull riding in 1949-50; and saddle bronc riding in 1950-51. Tex Martin (1953) and Cody Lambert (1982) also won men's all-around titles, while Jo Gregory Knox,(1951), Elisabeth Prude Longbotham (1953) and Donna Saul (1962) claimed all-around women's crowns.

Other Sul Ross national individual champions are bull riders Johnny Ackel (1952), Ira Akers (1953), Tex Martin (1954) and George Eads (1962); saddle bronc rider Don Lee Smith (1958); and Bill James, who tied for first in calf roping in 1961 and won team roping in 1962.

In women's competition, Charlotte Martin (1954) and Saul (1962) won goat tying championships; Saul won calf tying in 1961; and Jayne Gentry won breakaway roping in 1985.

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61st NIRA Rodeo this weekend at Sul Ross

Sul Ross State University-where intercollegiate rodeo began-will host the 61st annual National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) event Thursday through Saturday, Oct. 5-7.

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