The McNeese State University men’s rodeo team placed first at the Wharton County Junior College Rodeo recently and are ranked first in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region. The McNeese women’s rodeo team finished third and are in second place in the region.
McNeese’s Kade Sonnier, Carencro, finished as bareback riding champion with an 81-point ride. Sonnier is also ranked seventh in the world standings in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) standings. Other McNeese bareback riders included Conner Griffith of Bradford, Tennessee, finishing sixth with 73 points, Monty Fontenot from Ville Platte finished eighth with a 69-point ride and Cody Lebato, Lake Charles, in 10th with a 59-point ride.
McNeese also placed in the saddle bronc riding with Shea Fournier, Raceland, in second with a 78-point ride, Isaac Richard, Eunice, in third with a 77-point ride and Jace Nixon, Lake Charles, in fifth with a 74-point ride.
For the women, Camryn Richard from Moss Bluff finished sixth in ladies break away roping with a time of 2.3 seconds. Mersadie Martin from Lufkin, Texas, finished as goat tying champion with a time of 6.8 seconds and Kamryn Duncan from Denham Springs finished third with 7.5 seconds.
“The McNeese Rodeo Team is getting stronger each week,” explained Coach Justin Browning. “We will continue our journey through the season preparing for the College National Finals Rodeo this June in Casper, Wyoming.”
McNeese rodeo team’s next competition will be March 31 and April 1 at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas.
