The Central Arizona College (CAC) Rodeo Team paid a visit to the CAC Aravaipa Campus on Fri. Oct. 19. The student athletes and their coaches talked to an audience about what it is like to be on the rodeo team, what they do to get ready and how they compete.
The CAC Rodeo Team is made up of 35 men and women athletes. The team competes in the Grand Canyon Region. They compete in ten rodeos within their region with other college teams in Arizona and New Mexico.
The top two teams in the region and top three individuals in their events qualify to compete in the College National Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. The CAC Rodeo Team has made it to the Nationals 42 consecutive years. The Men’s and Women’s Team is currently in fourth place in the Grand Canyon Region.
Head Rodeo Coach Joe Moody, Skyla Teel, Professor of Reading and a “Cow Girl” and the members of the team were on hand to answer questions about rodeo and the team.
The team competes in bareback riding, tie down roping, break away roping (girls), saddle bronco riding, goat tying (girls), steer wrestling, team roping, barrel racing (girls), and bull riding.
Rodeo is an expensive sport as each member of the team must have a horse which they must feed and take care of. They also have to pay their own entry fees to rodeos. The individual competitors can win money at each rodeo.
The CAC Rodeo Team will be hosting a rodeo on March 3-4 2013 at the Johnny Whitlow Rodeo Arena in Florence Arizona. Come down and watch a great bunch of athletes compete.
Men’s Team Roster
Matt Loose Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Tanner Judge Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Tyrell Hill Rexburg, Idaho
Tanner Fuchs Chester, Idaho
Tyler Kenyon Las Vegas, Nevada
Lane Wilson Motague, California
Austin Woods Newburg, Oregon
Jordan Smith Canada
Cole Robinson Moorcroft, Wyoming
Spencer Dickens Fountain, Colorado
Shane Morin Sherwood, Oregon
Ryan Luke Morgan Hill, California
Jake Mangus Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Will Schwable St. Johns, Arizona
Armando Flores Buckeye, Arizona
Chance Stone Queen Creek, Arizona
Tristan Mahoney Florence, Arizona
Women’s Roster
Kaleigh Hertz Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Danni Severance Prineville, Oregon
DeeAnna Pasquale Winnemuca, Nevada
Savannah Hull Salmon, Idaho
Callie Knifong Buffalo, Wyoming
Kaylie Schall Rigby, Idaho
Emily Bailey Tualatin, Oregon
Shannon Robertson Gilbert, Arizona
Nicole Fayden Gilbert, Arizona
Caryn Skalon Gilbert, Arizona
Kristen Summerfield Sierra Vista, AZ
Devin Cordova Florence, Arizona
*Kelsey Lutjen Florence, Arizona
*Kelsey Lutjen is a freshman at CAC. She is the 2012 National High School Rodeo Association 2012 Goat Tying Champion.
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