UT Martin putting up good times

Posted: Thursday, June 13, 2013 12:00 pm

CASPER, Wyo. — The UT Martin rodeo team saw nine participants compete in the third day of the 65th annual College National Finals Rodeo at the Casper Events Center on Tuesday.
In the second go of tie-down roping, Ben Walker tallied a time of 13.0 while Jordan Thrasher compiled a time of 16.2.
Will Lummus split sixth in the second go of steer wrestling with a time of 4.9. John Alley (6.3) and Thrasher (6.5) also represented UT Martin in the event.
In team roping, Alley and Clark Adcock posted a time of 5.2 — the second-best time of the second go. Clay Mitchell and Lane Mitchell compiled a time of 11.9 to round out UT Martin’s participation in the event.
Mary Francis Gorsuch improved her time in barrel racing, compiling a time of 14.27 in the second go.
In breakaway roping, Natalie Fletcher scored a 3.4 in the second go.
A total of 11 UTM rodeo members competed in Day Two of the 2013 College National Finals Rodeo, held at the Casper Events Center.
In the saddle bronc, Ty Hughston turned in a score of 54 points in his second go. Meanwhile, Tyler Waltz improved upon his first round score in bareback riding, chalking up a 72 in his second go to split fifth.
The other nine UT Martin rodeo members made their 2013 CNFR debuts. Thrasher (9.1, seventh) and Walker (14.4) each recorded points in tie-down roping.
A trio of UT Martin cowboys competed in steer wrestling, led by Thrasher’s 5.4 first go (split eighth). Lummus (5.9) and Robert Joyce (14.1) also represented UT Martin in steer wrestling.
In team roping, Walker joined forces with Zack Mabry from Troy to compile a time of 7.1. Mitchell and Mitchell posted a 9.6 time while Alley and Adcock recorded a time of 11.2.
On the women’s side, Gorsuch earned a time of 14.50 in the barrel racing. Thrasher also has amassed 25 points in the men’s all-around.
The national finals kicked off Sunday as three UTM members opened up the weeklong event.
Waltz represented UT Martin in bareback riding, compiling 69 points in the first go.
Also competing for the UT Martin men’s team was senior Ty Hughston, who tallied 71 points in the first go of the saddle bronc competition.
That score was good enough for a split of fifth place for the McBain, Mich., native.
On the women’s side, freshman Natalie Fletcher was responsible for a 2.9 in the first go of breakaway roping.
The Knoxville native split fourth in her CNFR debut.
The rodeo will continue through Saturday with championship round beginning 7 p.m. the final day.

Published in The Press 6.13.13