ENMU rodeoers get set for CNFR

Staff report

Logan Medlin would like to repeat his College National Finals Rodeo championship from a year ago.

Meantime, Eastern New Mexico University’s women are hoping they can be in the mix as a team.

The CNFR begins its annual weeklong run today at Casper, Wyo.

Medlin and partner Billy Bob Brown of Tarleton State took the championship last year and will try to end their college careers with a repeat.

“They’ve got an opportunity,” ENMU rodeo coach Albert Flinn said. “It’s tougher to repeat than (it is) to win the first one, but they have a shot. They’ve got to draw some good (stock).”

While Medlin is ENMU’s only representative on the men’s side, the women have the maximum four entrants in senior TiAda Gray of Lovington and juniors Taylor Smith of Rimbey, Alberta, Canada; Keely Weger of Mead, Okla., and Hayden Segelke of Snyder, Colo. Smith, Weger and Gray will compete in breakaway roping after finishing 1-2-3 in the Southwest Region, while Weger and Segelke are in goat tying.

Segelke has two previous CNFR berths under her belt, while Gray and Weger have one apiece.

“It makes a big difference when you’ve been here before,” Flinn said. “Nothing will be a surprise to you.

“We have a good, solid team. We’ve come from a pretty tough region, and we know what the opportunities are.”

The first round of breakaway roping is scheduled for today, with the second round on Tuesday. Goat tying and team roping have their first two rounds on Monday and Tuesday, while third-round competition will be between Tuesday and Friday.

The short round (finals) in all events is set for 7 p.m. on Saturday.

ENMU’s men finished ninth with 405 team points last year, while the women were 14th with 140 points.