After a monthlong layoff from official competition, the University of Tennessee at Martin rodeo teams were back in action over the weekend at Murray State. The UT Martin women’s squad placed fourth with 203.33 points while the Skyhawk cowboys finished fifth with 230 points over the three-day rodeo.
Caleb Dunn and Cooper Stone each came away with points in calf roping. Dunn placed fourth in average (22.3), fourth in the short go (11.3) and fifth in the opening round (11.0) while Stone’s 10.8 time in the first round ranked fourth and his 23.2 average placed fifth.
The UT Martin women’s duo of Drew Thomas and Savannah Moran accumulated points in breakaway roping. Thomas finished fourth in both average (6.1) and in the short round (3.3) while splitting sixth in the opening round with two others, including Moran with matching times of 2.8 seconds.
Three Skyhawk cowboys secured points in the team roping event, led by Caden Ussery. He joined forces with Southern Arkansas’ Dakota Benight and that tandem posted points in average (20.2, splitting third), the first round (7.2, splitting third) and the short go (13.0, fourth). The all-UT Martin team of Dunn and Noah Beshears also produced points in the short round (7.8, splitting second) and in average (20.2, splitting third with Ussery/Benight).
A whopping five Skyhawk cowgirls accrued points in barrel racing as Anna Wilder led the way with a dominant effort. The sophomore from Millington, Tenn. won in average (28.15) after supplying the best time in the opening round (14.04) and the second-best performance in the short go (14.11). Ryanne Frecker placed second in the opening round (14.18) and fourth in average (28.74) while Allie Sherman’s time of 14.25 second in the first go split third. Emma Kate Wilder finished fifth in the short round (14.44) and sixth in average (28.83) while Caysen Orman’s 14.31 in the opening round placed sixth.
UT Martin now faces another lengthy break as the Skyhawks will open their spring slate on March 6-8 at a rodeo hosted by Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark.
