PORTALES, N.M. -- The South Plains College rodeo team shined in their season opening rodeo Sept. 20-22 in Portales, N.M., advancing nine to Saturday's short round. The SPC men finished the rodeo with 225 team points, good for a sixth place finish in the team standings.

Leading the charge was SPC newcomer Colt Cleavinger who dominated the bull riding competition in his first rodeo competing for South Plains College.


"Colt Cleavinger had a heck of a weekend," third year head coach Kerry Doster said. "He won the bull riding straight across."

Cleavinger recorded scores of 84 points on both his rides to win both the long and short rounds in addition to the overall average and came away with 180 team points.

"When I recruited this kid I knew he was a step above a lot of the kids at this level. The key thing he did when he drew the good bulls this weekend, he executed. He made good rides and did not make mistakes that get you bucked off."

The performance puts Cleavinger in good position after one rodeo as he leads to region in the event by 50 points.

SPC also had two make the final round of bareback riding in Dylan Wahlert and Kyle Sutherland. Wahlert rode to a 73 on his first attempt, good for a tie for fourth place in the long round (25 points). Sutherland's 62 was just enough to get him in Saturday's short go where he rode to a 64. Wahlert was unable to record a score in the final.

Ty Willick and Jarrett Parson each advanced in steer wrestling with times of 5.8 seconds for Willick and 6.2 for Parson, setting them up at fifth and sixth entering the short round. Each recorded no time in the final round.

Tate Teague and Murphy Black teamed up to record a time of 7.4 seconds in team roping, the sixth quickest time entering the final. They, too, were unable to record a time Saturday night and settled for 10 team points.

On the women's side, Kimberly Hendley and Kipty Watt each finished in a four-way tie for seventh place as both completed round one of goat tying in 9.0 seconds. Hendley's short round time was 13.1 seconds, while Watt finished in 14.8 seconds to finish seventh and eighth overall in the event.

Overall, Doster was pleased with what he saw with his team's first performances.

"The rodeo went pretty well," he said. "There were some mistakes we made in the short round that could have really brought the rodeo to where we could have had a three or four hundred point rodeo pretty easily.

"We had a tough weekend in the girls events. We are going to try to get some of the issues squared away and try to have a better weekend in Alpine."

The SPC rodeo teams will depart for their next rodeo Thursday and will compete Sept. 27-29 on the campus of Sul Ross State University in Alpine.

SPC Entries at Sul Ross State Rodeo • Alpine, Texas
1st Performance Thursday @ 7 PM
Kyle Sutherland        Bareback
Dylan Wahlert        Bareback
Kyler Cator        Saddlebronc
Colt Cleavinger        Saddlebronc
Tate Teague        Calf Roping
Watkins            Team Roping
Sadie Watkins        Goat Tying
Kylee Mackelprang    Goat Tying

Slack after Thursday Performance
Jordan Box        Bull Riding

Slack Friday @ 9 AM
Blake Gagnon        Calf Roping
Shane Krywcun        Steer Wrestling
Gagnon/Willick        Team Roping
Cole            Team Roping
Kothman/Daugherty    Team Roping
Teague/Black        Team Roping
Sarah Walker        Breakaway Roping
Kelsee Watkins        Breakaway Roping
Kipty Watt        Breakaway Roping
Kimberly Hendley    Breakaway Roping
Jessie Kate Cole        Breakaway Roping
Kylee Mackelprang    Breakaway Roping
Sadie Watkins        Breakaway Roping
Keyla Kothman        Breakaway Roping

2nd Performance Friday @ 7 PM
Colt Cleavinger        Bull Riding
Seavor Tate            Calf Roping
Blake Gagnon        Steer Wrestling
JW Ery            Steer Wrestling
Lehman/Carmichael    Team Roping
Sarah Walker        Goat Tying

Slack after Friday Performance
Kyler Cator        Bull Riding
Kipty Watt            Barrel Racing

Slack Saturday @ 9 AM
Pryce Harris        Calf Roping
Asa Daugherty        Calf Roping
Murphey Black        Calf Roping
Dylan Wahlert        Steer Wrestling
Jarrett Parson        Steer Wrestling
Ty Willick            Steer Wrestling
Harris/Tate            Team Roping
Parson            Team Roping
Jessie Kate Cole        Barrel Racing
Keyla Kothman        Goat Tying
Kimberly Hendley    Goat Tying
Kipty Watt            Goat Tying