The Southwestern Oklahoma State University rodeo team kicked off the fall season in Colby, Kansas, with a weekend of standout performances. The women’s team came away with a second overall finish, fueled by Reagan McIntyre’s dominant showing in the goat tying and strong runs across the roster.
Reagan was unstoppable, posting back-to-back 7.5-second runs to win the long go, short go, and average in goat tying. Her sweep also earned her the women’s all-around title, helping set the tone for the Bulldogs’ first rodeo of the season. “I think the difference for me this weekend was honing in on those small details and making sure I don’t skip any steps that could lead to mistakes. I had 2 really smooth runs where I did the small details right, and I believe that is why I was successful.”
On the men’s side, Heston Harrison carried momentum in the saddle bronc riding. After placing third in the long go, he bounced back to win the short go and claim the average title.
In the men’s timed events, Brandt O’Connor won the long go in the Team Roping and wrapped up 3rd in the average.
The Bulldogs stacked the short rounds with qualifiers in nearly every event. Cheyenne VandeStouwe advanced in both goat tying and breakaway roping. Greeley Eastep made it back in the breakaway, finishing 10th in the short go and average, while also placing in the goat tying with 9th in the long go, a tie for 2nd/3rd in the short go, and a split for 3rd/4th in the average.
Jezimay Watson joined them in the goats, qualifying for the short round and finishing inside the top 10 in the average. When asked about her horse, she said, “Her name is Promise and she is a 15-year-old buckskin mare that I got from my neighbor for free. She’s been the best thing I’ve ever gotten, so I’m pretty excited to have her here with me at this rodeo.”
In barrel racing, Braylee Ward posted a tie for 11th in the long go before charging back with a 3rd-place finish in the short round and 4th in the average. “I didn’t realize how slick Colby’s hard ground was, so during the long go, I didn’t allow my horse enough time to turn the barrel, so I kind of failed her. I was glad I made it back so that I could give her a fair shot at it again. Going into the short go, I had nothing to lose, so I planned to ask her to turn into the barrel sooner and ride just aggressively. We ended up speeding it up by 6th tenths of a second, so I was really happy with it.”
Carli Stuva showed up and showed out in barrel racing as well, with 3rd in the long go, 5th in the short go, and 5th in the average. Carli said her goal for the short go was to “Just get out there and do the same thing. My horse felt great, and it placed well, so I wouldn’t change a whole lot.”
From all-around titles to short go qualifications across the board, the Bulldogs proved that success isn’t just about one or two runs; it’s about the strength of the whole team. If Colby was any indication, SWOSU is set for a season full of standout performances and strong finishes.
