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SWTJC Rodeo Team Shines in Lake Charles

SWTJC Rodeo Team Shines in Lake Charles

SWTJC rodeo team traveled to Lake Charles, LA last weekend for their fourth, regional intercollegiate contest of the season held by McNeese State University.

Men’s rodeo team member and freshman Tyler West finished fourth in the Steer Wrestling with a 5.6-second run and fourth in the Tie Down roping with an 8.9.

The combined effort landed him the coveted MSU All Around Cowboy title, his second since the 2018-2019 season began.

West’s consistency in the Steer Wrestling over the last four events has helped him maintain the number one slot in the regional standings.

“We are so proud of Tyler,” said coach Joey Almand. “Leading the regional standings in an event is a huge deal for any college, but especially for a junior college. We are competing against teams with older and more experienced competitors, so to have a freshman leading the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southern Region event standings is more than I could have hoped for. Add to that his consistency in the tie-down roping, and now SWTJC has a freshman that’s a viable chance at the regional Men’s All-Around title. This is really huge for our program and a big deal for our community.”

Freshman and men’s team member Sawyer ‘Buckshot’ Patterson landed SWTJC another event title in the team roping contest at MSU.

Patterson posted a time of 6.4 seconds on the heel side, beating out 63 other teams and earning himself the MSU champion heeler buckle.

The event win propelled Patterson into the region’s team roping standings along with other SWTJC members Reno Stoebner, who won second at the season opener at the Panola Junior College event, and Haley Jacobs and Ezra Sendejo, who placed third at the SWTJC event in Uvalde.

“Buckshot is a very talented roper,” said Almand. “I’m pretty surprised this is his first win this season. He is that good of a roper. We are expecting to see his name at the top a lot more through the season. Having four team ropers inside the top ten in the Southern Region standings is really exciting.”

Women’s team member and freshman Paige Dawson had another super solid rodeo in the Women’s Goat Tying.

Dawson entered the MSU event in third place in the regional standings. Her speedy 6.5-second run put her in a split for a third-place finish and helped her maintain her spot in the regional standings.

“Paige has really impressed me so far this season,” said Almand. “She’s a great little competitor - solid, consistent and hardworking. Again, here’s another freshman that is holding her own against older, more seasoned competitors. The goat tying is super competitive and to keep putting up finishes like she’s been doing is more than any coach could hope for. To see her inside the top tier of contestants like this makes us so proud.”

Almand and the rodeo team are busy preparing for the next and final fall contest at Sam Houston State University on Nov. 9-11.

The conclusion of this event will mark the halfway point of the season and begins a brief winter break until early spring events resume.