Utah makes good showing at College National Finals Rodeo
College rodeo athletes from Utah had a strong showing during the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming in late June. Weber State University's women's squad finished in second place and the men were ninth. Lewis Feild and his Utah Valley State College men's squad finished fourth in the nation and also came back to Utah with the National Champion bareback rider.
Lance Sagers of Rush Valley claimed the national title in the bareback event and became the first collegiate rodeo national champion in the history of the UVSC rodeo program. Sagers placed second in the first and second round and finished sixth in the final round to earn enough points to claim the national bareback crown for college rodeo.
Feild is no stranger to championships after winning five world championships and an Olympic Gold medal in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, before taking over as the coach for the UVSC rodeo teamthree years ago. Feild was very pleased with Sager's title and the UVSC's team performance at the national championship rodeo event.
"I am very proud of our kids and the way we performed at CNFR and it makes it even more special because all of our kids are from Utah and I hope to win a national championship one day with all Utah kids, Feild reported. We had eight people qualify for CNFR this year and the strong showing at Casper is good for our program. We should be just as good next year with just about everyone from this year's team coming back again next year."
The most successful rodeo athlete in Utah history, Feild has become a solid mentor to the college rodeo athletes. Feild was a world champion bronc rider and also claimed a few titles as all-around cowboy during his days in the PRCA. Three of his bronc riders at UVSC placed in the national top-10 rankings.
Sagers won the national title, while Matt Ballard finished in fifth place and Levi Berry was the 10th ranked bronc rider in the nation. Feild hopes to have a rodeo facility actually located on the UVSC campus in order to make his team even more competitive on the national level.
Weber State's women's squad had a strong showing in Casper and finished a 85 points behind the champion team from Vernon College. The men's team finished in the national top-10 during CNFR.
Katie MacKenzie was runner-up champion in breakaway roping and Whitt Cross of Huntsville finished among the top-10 in the calf roping event. Billy Wall of Morgan was the third best bareback rider in the nation.
Weber State's women's team claimed the National Title in the late 90's and have been a top-10 team for the past ten years under the direction of coach Roger Johnson.
A host of Utah college rodeo athletes placed among the national top-20 during the CNFR event. Jessy Davis from Salem was 12th in the barebackevent and Jennifer Freeland was sixth in barrel racing. Sara Sulser of Heber City was ranked 16th in goat tying and Jade Anderson of Spanish Fork was ranked 19th in the calf roping event. Dustin Larson placed 18th in the bull riding event as a member of the Salt Lake Community College rodeo team.