{"id":28288,"date":"2018-05-30T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2018-05-30T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/web.tarleton.edu\/news\/tarletons-linden-woods-headed-for-his-second-college-national-finals\/"},"modified":"2021-11-12T01:40:56","modified_gmt":"2021-11-12T01:40:56","slug":"tarletons-linden-woods-headed-for-his-second-college-national-finals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tarleton.edu\/news\/tarletons-linden-woods-headed-for-his-second-college-national-finals\/","title":{"rendered":"Tarleton’s Linden Woods headed for his second College National Finals"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Woods<\/a><\/p>\n

Woods Headed to CNFR for Second Time<\/p>\n

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, May 30, 2018<\/p>\n

STEPHENVILLE, Texas — It’s been several years since Linden Woods’ first bareback ride.<\/p>\n

He was 15, and along with a friend from his hometown of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, he entered an amateur rodeo.<\/p>\n

“We borrowed some gear from his older brother and headed out,” Woods said. “I ended up splitting the win and getting a pretty good handful of cash. I never looked back.”<\/p>\n

Now a sophomore agriculture services and development major at Tarleton State University, Woods is a linchpin of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region champions and is headed to his second College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo.<\/p>\n

He advances to the June 8-16 finals as the regional bareback title holder after finishing no lower than third in six of 10 rodeos during the regular season, including a win at Western Texas College in Snyder.<\/p>\n

But it took a little insistence to get him to Tarleton.<\/p>\n

Woods began his collegiate career at New Mexico Junior College, riding for coach Marty Eakin, brother of Tarleton coach Mark Eakin. Woods qualified for the CNFR as a freshman and competed a second season before his junior college days ended.<\/p>\n

“I took two years off after that and was down here for some rodeos, and I saw Mark at a restaurant,” Woods said. “He asked if I had thought of coming back to school since I had two years of eligibility left. I said probably not. He phoned me about two months before school started and offered again, and I couldn’t turn it down.”<\/p>\n

According to Woods, the draw of competing for one of the nation’s premier rodeo programs was too strong.<\/p>\n

“When I rodeoed in the region before, everybody was chasing Tarleton,” he said. “Tarleton is obviously the best rodeo school in the region, if not in the country. I got the opportunity to wear a purple vest, and I wasn’t going to turn it down twice.”<\/p>\n

Though he’s returning to Casper for a second run at a national title, the time between CNFR appearances makes it seem new.<\/p>\n

“It’s been three or four years since I made the college finals, so it’s basically like doing it for the first time,” he said. “I feel good. I’m healthy going into it, and I finished the season strong.”<\/p>\n

Woods expects this to be his final college rodeo season, but he hopes to continue as a professional.<\/p>\n

“I love to rodeo,” he said, “so I’ll do it as long as I can.”<\/p>\n

Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven educational experience, marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. Offering degree programs in Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian and online to more than 13,000 students, Tarleton engages with communities through real-world learning experiences to address societal needs while maintaining its core values of integrity, leadership, tradition, civility, excellence and service.<\/p>\n

#<\/p>\n

Contact: Phil Riddle, News & Information Specialist
817-484-4415
priddle@tarleton.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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