UT Martin hosted their 56th annual Spring Rodeo this weekend from April 11 to 13.
The rodeo team is one of the biggest parts of UT Martin’s culture and sporting events. The rodeo is the event for cowboys and girls show off their skills in events such as bull riding, calf roping, barrel racing, and many other events.
Thursday
The UTM rodeo kicked off with a bang on Thursday night with the Weakley County 4-H Drill Team presenting the stars and stripes while Destin Tucker sang The National Anthem. Rodeo announcer Garrett Yerigan brought the energy and rodeo clown Dusty Meyers gave the crowd all the laughs they could handle. The two paired with the crowd provided an electric atmosphere that was a sign of things to come for the weekend.
Also, Skyhawk Hall of Fame athlete and coach Tony Coleman was honored as a UTM pioneer with a video tribute. The tribute was received with cheers and applause from fans and athletes alike celebrating Coleman’s contribution to the program. Coleman, who was the school’s second national champion in 1977, spent the video reminiscing about his experience with the program.
Friday
Friday was equally, if not more, exciting than Thursday with a larger crowd and a show to match. Chancellor Yancy Freeman attended his first rodeo, and he chose a good one to attend. Announcer Garrett Yerigan and rodeo clown Dusty Meyers put on a great show as always and the athletes gave the crowd and Chancelor Freeman a show to remember.
During the competition UTM inducted two new members into its Hall of Fame. The creator of the iconic UTM steer logo Jeff Derby and The Davis Family, a family whose blood runs deep in the history of UTM rodeo and makes sure to care for not just their related family but their UTM family as well.
Saturday
Saturday night was truly a night to remember. A sold-out crowd welcomed all the cowboys and cowgirls of the rodeo and made sure there was never a dull moment. Seemingly feeding off the energy of the crowd and with their standings on the line, these cowboys and cowgirls put on their best show yet.
Rodeo announcer Garrett Yerigan was surprised and honored during the competition. The two-time PRCA announcer of the year was named an honorary Skyhawk for his work with the program and his commitment to it throughout his career. Beginning as a music director for the program Garrett eventually found himself in the announcing role where he’s been for UTM ever since.
On the dirt, we saw great performances from some Skyhawk cowboys and cowgirls. The Skyhawks competed in Calf Roping, Breakaway Roping, Goat Tying and Barrel Racing.
Calf Roping
In a competition of precision and execution, we saw two Skyhawks place. Noah Beshears with an overall time of 32.7 came in sixth place with 40 points. In front of him and everybody else was Caiden Ussery with an overall time of 20.1. Caiden came in first place and scored the Skyhawks’ most points on the weekend with 165 points.
Breakaway Roping
In this competition of precision and speed we saw another two Skyhawks place. Leah Pitts with a score of 75 points came in fourth place with an overall time of 6.8 seconds. Just 0.5 seconds in front of her was fellow Skyhawk Anna Wilder with an overall time of 6.3 seconds and a score of 100 points that landed her in third place. She fell just 0.8 seconds behind first place Lauren Booty of UWA (University of West Alabama) who scored 135 points.
Goat Tying
A competition of speed and execution, we saw just one Skyhawk cowgirl compete. Emma Kate Wilder, who clocked an overall time of 13.5 seconds, came in second place with 140 points. She fell just one tenth of a second short of first place Joanna Hammett of UWA, who finished with a score of 145 points.
Barrel Racing
Almost nothing beats watching horses run fast and one Skyhawk cowgirl really put that on display this Saturday. Savannah Moran came in third place, scoring 110 points with an overall time of 28 seconds. Moran fell just 0.2 seconds short of first place Jaylie Matthews of UWA who clocked a time of 27.8 seconds and a totaled 160 points.
Other Events
Bareback Riding
First place: Colt Eck, Mississippi Valley College (160 pts)
Saddle Bronc Riding
First place: Ty Pope, Mississippi Valley College (180 pts)
Steer Wrestling
First place: Christian Cagle, Northwest Mississippi Community College (150 pts)
Team Roping
First place: Cooper Cowan, University of Western Alabama and Dickson Latham, Southern Arkansas University (150 pts)
Bull Riding
First place: David Holden Moss, Central Methodist University (120 pts)
Summary
The Skyhawks cowboys placed sixth in total with a score of 215 points with major contributions from Caiden Ussery (165 pts) and Noah Beshears (40 pts). The Skyhawks cowgirls placed second in total with a score of 350 points with major contributions from Emma Kate Wilder (140 pts), Savannah Moran (110 pts) and Anna Wilder (100 pts).
When asked about how this year’s rodeo felt compared to previous experiences, head coach Chase Thrasher said, “The rodeo tonight, just like every year, tops every other rodeo in the region. I’m a little biased, obviously, but the atmosphere is always great at Martin. The crowd and the community always come out and support. The atmosphere in Martin, Tennessee rodeo week is amazing.”
