Cal Poly Rodeo Team Advances to the National Finals
Contact: AnnMarie Cornejo
805-756-2427; [email protected]
SAN LUIS OBISPO — Eleven members of the Cal Poly Rodeo Team qualified to compete in the 73rd annual College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming on June 12-18, following their performance at the West Coast Regional Finals held May 13-15 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Student-athletes who advanced to the finals on are: Aimee Davis of San Luis Obispo and Sierra Spratt of Phoenix in goat tying and breakaway roping; Tyree Cochrane of San Luis Obispo in breakaway roping; Madison Camozzi of Petaluma, California, in barrel racing; Gracely Speth of Guadalupe in breakaway roping; Quintin McWhorter of San Luis Obispo in saddle bronc riding and team roping; Karson Mebane of Bakersfield in saddle bronc riding; Pierce Wold of Wilton, California, Tanner Patino and Cutter Machado of Santa Maria in team roping; and Cole Tart of San Luis Obispo in bareback riding.
“These students continue to show up, work hard and pursue their dreams,” said Cal Poly Rodeo Coach Ben Londo. “They will represent Cal Poly well on the national stage in Casper.”
In addition, at the West Coast Regional Finals, the Cal Poly Rodeo Women’s Team was named the championship team; Spratt was awarded Women’s All around; Davis was named Women’s Reserve All Around and Champion in Goat Tying; Grace Lopez was awarded Women’s Rookie; and McWhorter was named Men’s Reserve All Around.
Cal Poly Rodeo has a strong, successful history. The program sent six men to the inaugural College National Finals Rodeo in 1949. Since then, Cal Poly Rodeo’s student-athletes have gone on to win six national championships — more than any other school in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) competition — and 44 national titles. The program is open to all Cal Poly students.
About the College National Finals Rodeo
The College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), known as the Rose Bowl of national rodeo, is where the NIRA crowns individual event champions in saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, bull riding, team roping, barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying. National team championships are also awarded to men’s and women’s teams. More than 400 student-athletes from more than 100 universities and colleges compete in Casper each year. Contestants compete all year in one of the NIRA’s 11 regions for a chance to rope or ride at the CNFR. Visit www.cnfr.com.
About Cal Poly's College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, comprehensive polytechnic university. The university’s College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences is comprised of expert faculty members who take pride in their ability to transform academically motivated students into innovative professionals ready to solve the complex challenges associated with feeding the world in sustainable ways. Students have access to state-of-the-art laboratories, including organic and conventional crop land, orchards, vineyards, forests, and rangeland, all of which provide the basis for Cal Poly’s Learn by Doing methodology. It is the fifth-largest college of agriculture in the country with more than 4,100 undergraduate students. For more information visit CAFES.calpoly.edu.
