SWTJC rodeo team continues momentum
The following information was submitted by Sugar Almand, SWTJC Rodeo Contributor.
Uvalde, TX, March 22, 2021 - Southwest Texas Junior College team ropers Tristan Sullivan and Will Farris dominated the team roping contest March 12-13 in Bryan, during the Texas A&M University event.
The momentous win earned each member 170 points, elevating the SWTJC men’s team to a fourth-place finish – their best team finish this season. The SWTJC women’s team finished second overall and are now nationally ranked 18th.
The team roping win moved Sullivan to fifth in the regional heading standings and Farris to sixth in the regional heeling standings.
The duo placed second in round one with a 7.2, earning them a short-round qualification. The ropers then improved that performance with their next run and were 6.5.
The two runs combined propelled them to the event title win and a set of prestigious belt buckles.
“I was really proud of them,” said SWTJC rodeo coach Joey Almand. “Tristan and Will are really talented and have had some struggles this season. It was nice to see them perform at a level everyone knows they are capable of.
“They picked a great time to bring it – the A&M event is definitely a prestigious win for them. Now they are finally within striking distance as we head into the home stretch of the season. The CNFR isn’t out of reach for them if they can continue what they did in Bryan.”
The women’s team was led by the performances of Rylie Smith and Lacy Bruening.
Smith was 3.5 in round one of the breakaway roping and 2.9 in the short round. The SWTJC roper ended up second overall for the weekend and nabbed 100 points.
“Smith is maybe the best female roper I have ever seen,” Almand said. “I’m actually shocked she hasn’t had more luck before this weekend. She made two really smart runs at A&M. Being strategic is really important at this level. You have to be thinking long game and she certainly did that last weekend.”
Bruening added 95 points in the goat tying, placing second in round one with a 6.8, splitting fourth in the short round with a 7.8, and finishing fourth overall for the weekend. Bruening now sits sixth in the region and 24th in the nation.
“Lacy is such an aggressive athlete,” Almand said. “She’s got the ability and work ethic to be at the top of the game. She had a few bobbles this weekend, but even with that landed a big point grab for our girls’ team. If she makes the two runs she did in Bryan, without those small issues, she’s the champion.
“Even though we only have four more events this season, there’s still time to make moves. I’m looking for all our athletes to continue pushing through these next four events. I know we have plenty of talent, but some of it is definitely luck,” he said. “With that, if we can have some things go our way, I’m confident we will be taking some SWTJC athletes to Casper, Wyoming, for the CNFR in June.”