Northwest to Host Ranger Rodeo
College rodeo will make its return to north Mississippi later this month, as Northwest Mississippi Community College prepares to host its annual Ranger Rodeo.
This year’s event will take place from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27 at the Northwest Multipurpose Arena, located at 10899 Highway 4 West in Senatobia. The three-day affair is once again scheduled to serve as the regular season finale of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Ozark Region, giving competitors one final chance to garner points to qualify for the College National Finals in Casper, Wyoming.
Main competition will begin at 7 P.M. each night, running from Thursday through Saturday. Advance tickets are on sale for $10 on northwestms.edu/tickets, but can also be purchased for $15 at the gate each night. Admission is free for children under six years old.
In the latest NIRA Ozark Region standings on April 15, Northwest was well-represented, currently sitting in third for the men’s team standings with 2,970 team points. Christian Cagle is second in the men’s all-around standings (1,030 points) and fourth in saddle bronc riding with 440 points.
Northwest also has the top three steer wrestlers in the Ozark Region standings, led by Cagle’s 580 points. Will Collier and Kent Jordan currently rank second and third, respectively, with 455 and 410 points. Additionally, Laine Moore currently sits in third place for team roping, holding 470 points.
Additionally, Cody Johnson ranks sixth in the region for saddle bronc riding, holding 60 points, while Luke Stanley ranks third in bull riding with 330 points. Henry Burgess and Moore are also ninth and 13th in tie-down roping, while Wyatt Newman is currently sixth in steer wrestling, followed by Moore and Burgess at 11th and 13th.
As for the Lady Rangers, Northwest is eighth in the women’s team standings with 270 season points, led by Delaney Naifeh’s seventh-place standing in barrel racing. Naifeh has 170 points in barrel racing, and is 14th in goat tying with 75 season points.
Themes for this year’s event include Northwest Night (Thursday), First Responders Night (Friday) and Northwest Rodeo Alumni Night on Saturday.
Sponsors for this year’s event include BankFirst, Mississippi Land Bank, Cavender’s, Indian Creek Bucking Bulls, Northcentral Electric Cooperative, Spencer Lee’s Transmissions, Twin Hills Equipment, Fratello’s Italian Steakhouse, Mid-South Scaffold, Wilburn Plumbing, Pampered Paws Pet Grooming and Mullins Maintenance.
For more information about this year’s event, contact Northwest rodeo coach Will Lummus by email at wlummus@northwestms.edu.
