Happy Trails with Dawni O’Bryan: Rodeo at the College Level

Rodeo at the college level is a whole different beast than any other form of rodeo. It is broken down into regions throughout the United States. The ones in our area are the Central Plains region, which is Kansas and northern Oklahoma, and the Central Rocky Mountain region, which consists of all of Colorado, all of Wyoming, and Chadron State College in Nebraska. College coaches can offer rodeo athletes scholarship money to attend their institution and rodeo like all other sports at colleges. All participants have to pay an incredible membership fee to the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association of $300 per year to attend the ten rodeos (five in the fall, five in the spring). This money comes out of their own pocket and is not paid by the college institution. Can you imagine all of the college baseball players forking over $300 to play ball? Granted, the college rodeo athletes do have an opportunity to win money but this $300 does not go toward fees or winnings, it is just membership.

The rodeos themselves involve a long go round in which every contestant is given one opportunity to ride, run, or rope for a $65 entry fee. This usually happens over two performances and a couple of days of slack and depends on when they draw up. After the long go is complete, the top 10 or 12 (depending on the region) make it back to what we call the short go round. Those 10 or 12 can place in the short round and have the chance to make money in the average (aggregate). The cowboys and cowgirls travel hundreds of miles with horses in tow to compete. Before each rodeo, the coach has to declare three women and six men to “be on the team.” He or she chooses the athletes that have the best chance at getting points for the college. After the short go on Sunday, a women’s team champion and a men’s team champion will be declared. There is no money or prizes for this accomplishment, just bragging rights.

Lamar Community College rodeo team has a new face at the helm. Travis Greenlee has taken over the reins as the head coach for the men’s and women’s rodeo team. Greenlee hails from southwest Colorado in the Cortez/Mancos area. In his high school rodeo career, he competed in every single rodeo event except cutting. He also can lay claim to the state championship titles of bareback rider, saddle bronc rider, and the all-around cowboy. He then continued his rodeo career by attending Odessa College in Texas. He worked both ends of the arena by riding barebacks, saddle broncs, bulls, team roping, and steer wrestling. When he decided to hit the professional ranks, he decided to concentrate on the three rough stock events. He then focused on bareback riding and bull riding. He has raised bucking bulls, judged rodeos, been a pickup man for the bronc riding, and has been a producer of amateur rodeos. He was a timed event judge for the National Little Britches Rodeo Finals in 2007 and has always wanted to stay involved in the sport of rodeo.

He is excited to combine his passion for rodeo and his passion for helping youngsters hone their skills pertaining to rodeo. This is his first coaching experience, but he brings a plethora of knowledge and general rodeo experience to the program. He was hired by LCC in June and did not have much time to recruit but is excited for the 12 athletes that are showing up for practice and working on their events. There are six sophomores and six freshmen making up the team as of right now. Joe Cash Autry and Gavin Wash are returners that are looking to make some noise this year. Transfer Jack Kissel will be working the rough stock events for the Antelopes.

Greenlee is married and has two children. His son was a rodeo state champion in Arizona in the junior high division and he currently attends Northeastern Junior College. He is not college rodeoing at this time. Greenlee’s daughter is a junior at Lamar High School. We welcome him and his family to the community and wish him and the team the best as they head to the first rodeo in Chadron September 6-8.

“Knowledge will bring you the opportunity to make a difference.” Claire Fagan

Happy Trails.