The UTM rodeo team traveled to Troy State University in Troy, Ala., this past weekend for its third rodeo of the spring semester. This is the first year Troy State has hosted a college rodeo.

The UTM rodeo team was greeted with warm weather and a beautiful covered arena.

This came with much rejoicing because the weather forecast called for rain. Luckily, the rodeo team had a dry weekend, and not a spot of mud was found anywhere.

The men's and the women's teams both finished in third position for the weekend. Not exactly what was hoped for but both teams performed well and points were still earned. Whit Ashe finished second in the men's all-around. Ashe was the bull riding champion for the weekend with 154 points. He won the short go with an 82-point score.

Curtis Griffin won the long go with an 85-point ride and he placed fourth in the average.

The men's team welcomed Josh Shackleford back into competition. He broke his foot in February and has been unable to compete at the past two rodeos.

Shackleford returned with incredible stamina. He rode as if he never had an injury. Shackleford rode to a third-place finish in the first go round, a first-place finish in the second go round, and he finished second in the average. Scotty NeSmith split third in the second go round with, Ashe, both turning in a score of 74 points.

Randall Gillespie teamed up with a Murray State contestant in the team roping and together they roped two steers in 22.9 seconds, even with a five-second penalty. They were third in the short go and second in the average.

In the barrel racing Courtney Barnfield rounded three barrels in the long go in 16.46 seconds to take her to a second-place win. The breakaway roping was quick and accurate. The calves put up a good fight but one of UTM's girls came out on top. Lyndsie Brower tied for first place in the average with Danni Knutson from Missouri Valley College.

She roped two calves to give her a combined time of 6.8 seconds. Brower was 3.7 in the long go to give her a third-place finish, while she roped her calf in the short go in only 3.1 seconds to allow her to win the short go.

There are two rodeos left in the season. Both the UTM men's and the women's teams are still within reach of not only a regional championship title but also a national championship title.

"Both teams continue to do well. There are things we'd like to continue doing, while there are others we still need to improve on," said coach John Luthi.

UTM returns to action April 3-5 in Jonesboro, Ark. The rodeo teams will finish out the rodeo season with the 35th annual rodeo in Martin, April 10-12.