UT Martin rodeo team atop Ozark

Posted: Friday, November 2, 2012 12:00 pm

With only one Ozark Region rodeo left on the schedule for 2012 — Nov. 15 at Troy University — UT Martin head rodeo coach John Luthi said his team is competing well and he is real thankful.
The “competing well” part of what Luthi said might be an understatement considering the UT Martin men have won all four fall rodeos and currently lead the Ozark Region and the nation in team points with more than 3,000.
UT Martin won both the men’s and women’s team title this past Saturday at Southern Arkansas in Magnolia. The men collected 660 points, while the women won their first team title of the year with 300 points.
“Our men’s team is taking care of business and you cannot ask for any more than that,” Luthi said.
The men’s victory marked the first time this year that UT Martin dominated both the rough stock and timed events.
Tyler Waltz won the first go, the second go and the average in the bareback riding competition. His teammates Jacob Dugenhart and Ty Hughston found success in the saddle bronc competition. Dugenhart was first in the first go and second in the average. Hughston won the second go and was first in the average.
Matt Smith, from nearby Kenton, won the bull riding at Southern Arkansas. The win marked Smith’s second consecutive victory of the year.
“We know Matt has the talent, but he has been working on the mental aspects, and he has been putting in the extra time,” Luthi said. “He is starting to feel confident.”
In the calf roping, UT Martin scored points when Clay Brewer was fourth in the first go and Jordan Thrasher was second in the first go.
Thrasher scored more points in the steer wrestling event where he split third and fourth in the first go. He was second in the short go and won second in the average.
Robert Joyce was first in the first go; sixth in the short go and fourth in the average. Lane Mitchell also picked up points in the steer wrestling.
In the team roping, John Alley and Clark Adcock were first in the first go, first in the short go and first in the average.
On the women’s side, Micayla Gray was sixth in the goat tying first go, sixth in the short go and sixth in the average.
Gray was sixth in the breakaway roping short go and sixth in the average. Her teammate Natalie Fletcher was first in the first go. Lauren Wagner was fifth in the first go, second in the short go and second in the average.
In the barrel racing, Katie Brown was fourth in the first go, while Dacia Horne was second in the first go. Wagner was second in the short go and second in the average.
“We are getting things figured out on the women’s side,” Luthi said. “Lauren (Wagner) had a big rodeo, and showed a lot of success. Micayla (Gray) has been on the edge all season and she is coming on now .” Published in The WCP 11.1.12