The Texas A&M Rodeo Team had a strong finish on the semester at the Sam Houston State University Collegiate Rodeo on Saturday in Conroe.
Britta Strain placed first in Barrel Racing while Carson Neal finished third in saddle bronc and Boyd Hanagriff finished third in Steer Wrestling. After three days of competition from Nov. 11-13, A&M women’s rodeo team came up short by 8.36 points to finish second overall, falling to Texas A&M Commerce, who earned 355 points. A&M’s men’s team took fifth overall with 285 points.
Madalyn Richards placed eighth in Breakaway Roping, and sixth in Goat Tying to finish second overall with 66.66 points at the event.
Strain, a junior return cowgirl, has finally recovered from a broken back in June 2020 and had a long recovery to win the long round, short round and the average in Barrel Racing.
“Going into the spring semester leading in the barrel racing feels like it made everything worth it that I went through,” Strain said.
Head coach Al Wagner spoke highly of the girl’s team and said that Strain, Madison Outhier and Richards were the girls he had expected to do well in the weekend competition.
Strain said she has owned her horse, Golden Cloud, which won her first place, since 2017 and the 6-year-old was fun to finally be running this year.
On the men’s team, Carson Neal, Saddle Bronc, returner, finished third with a score of 80 points. Boyd Hanagriff, Steer Wrestling newcomer, finished third as well with 80 points.
Regionals was the final competition for the rodeo teams for the fall semester.