STEPHENVILLE, Texas — A trio of purple-clad saddle bronc riders led the Tarleton State University men’s rodeo team to a historic finish Saturday night at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper, Wyo.
Coleman Shallbetter, Montgomery Parsons and Bailey Small all captured top 10 finishes on the way to the men’s team securing back-to-back national championships for the first time in program history.
“It’s super special because it’s extremely hard to do,” said head coach Mark Eakin, who has led Tarleton State’s men to three titles in four years. “Most of the team members were part of championship teams either last year or three years ago.
“We drew well up there, but we also didn’t have a lot of hiccups. We had a really good first go-round. We didn’t draw the best in the second but were really consistent in the third and in the finals.”
Shallbetter and Parsons tied for third in the saddle bronc, with each carding an 80 on Saturday. Small’s 72.5 was good for ninth.
“It was awesome,” said Shallbetter. “It was really cool to have all my friends there and to compete against them and to be part of such an awesome team.”
Shallbetter wound up with a four-head 313.5 total in Casper, while Parsons’ 315 included go-round scores of 79, 75.5 and 80.5.
Steer wrestler Landris White, tie-down roper Brayden Roe and saddle bronc rider Waitley Sharon rounded out the competitors for the national champion men’s team.
“From day one this was something all of them strived to achieve,” said Eakin. “It was neat, even the ones who were out of the average, who drew something that took them out in the second or third round, they were all there on the back of the bucking chutes supporting each other. They were determined to make this one happen.”
Tarleton State’s men claimed the team title by 250 points over runner-up Missouri Valley College.
“I think the mindset going in was the difference for us,” said Shallbetter. “We all really push each other to want to be better and to be a team.”
A national title was also in the cards for goat tyer Tori Brower, who flashed a 6.0 second time in Saturday’s final to takes the individual event crown and lead the Tarleton State women to the CNFR reserve championship.
“I’m glad to finish my time at Tarleton with a national champion win,” said Brower. “I’m pretty excited.”
Brower was consistent throughout the CNFR, turning in times of 6.2, 6.1 and 6.2 to earn a spot in the finals.
“I just took it round by round,” she said. “Things just kept going in my favor from the first round to the short go. I was sitting in the second and third spots in the rounds and I was totally okay with that because it kind of punched me forward in the average. I was just trying to get smooth runs like that all week.”
Women’s coach Brittany Stewart said that was the plan all season.
“She’s been tying great,” said Stewart. “She’s been consistent, so we were gunning for that individual championship. That was our game plan, even at the beginning of the season last September, to stay consistent and play her game.”
Teammate Jacelyn Frost corralled seventh place in the breakaway roping finals with her 3.3. She finished the CNFR with a four-head total of 20 seconds.
As reserve champions for the second straight year, Tarleton State’s women finished just 10 points behind eventual national champion Southwest Texas College.
“Obviously, the ultimate goal was a national championship,” said Stewart. “We competed hard, but with rodeo, there are so many factors. We were just a little short.”
Other women’s team competitors included barrel racers Jordan Driver and Hadley Tidwell and breakaway ropers Driver and Kaylie Garza.The Tarleton State rodeo program now boasts 41 combined team and individual national championships.
A founding member of The Texas A&M System, Tarleton State University is breaking records — in enrollment, research, scholarship, athletics, philanthropy and engagement — while transforming the lives of approximately 18,000 students in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Bryan and online. For 125 years, Tarleton State has been committed to accessible higher education opportunities for all while helping students grow academically, socially and professionally through programs that emphasize real world learning and address regional, state and national needs.