ProRodeo Sports News, June 29, 2018

Tracing Centoni’s rodeo roots is simple. His father, Billy, and uncle, Jimmy, rode bareback horses in the PRCA. “I got my start in rodeo through my family, and then a guy namedWyatt Bourdet helped me out with everything,” Centoni said. “I learned how to ride bucking horses at Bourdet’s house in Hollister. I have always been involved in bull riding, and (PRCA bull riders) Brendon Clark and Justin Andrade live right there. They helped me a lot and gave me confidence.” Like almost all cowboys, Centoni has PRCA gold buckle dreams, but he also remains realistic. “It would be huge for me to win a gold buckle, but it takes a lot of dedication,” Centoni said. “Competing in college gave me a lot of confidence, and it really helped me get my name out there, which should help me as I get out there.” As for the immediate future, Centoni is going to keep a selective rodeo schedule. “I will rodeo here and there until I get my (PRCA) card,” Centoni said. “Then, once I get my card, I’m going to go quite a bit. I will probably focus on saddle bronc riding once I get my card. I got hurt last year in bull riding at the (West of the Pecos [Texas] Rodeo), and I broke my ribs and my collarbone, and it took me out all summer. So, ever since then I haven’t been on a lot of bulls. I would rather get on a horse than a bull, and I’ve always loved saddle bronc riding. I still have a lot to learn with saddle bronc riding, but I’m definitely doing better than when I first started.”

CHAMPIONS ALL-AROUND COWBOY Will Centoni, Cuesta College, 645 points WOMEN’S ALL-AROUND Mia Manzanares, McNeese State, 480 points BAREBACK RIDING Tyler Berghuis, Tarleton State, 320.5 points STEER WRESTLING Tristan Martin, East Mississippi Community College, 17.7 seconds TEAM ROPING Header Kellan Johnson, Gillette College, Heeler Trey Yates, Casper College 30.0 seconds SADDLE BRONC RIDING Jake Finlay, Panhandle State, 311.5 points TIE-DOWN ROPING Ty Harris, Cisco College, 38.5 seconds BARREL RACING Kynzie McNeill, Texas Tech, 57.38 seconds BULL RIDING Will Centoni, Cuesta College, 155 points on two BREAKAWAY ROPING Mia Manzanares, McNeese State, 11.1 seconds GOAT-TYING Mia Manzanares, McNeese State, 24.9 seconds MEN’S ROOKIE Ty Harris, Cisco College, 345 points WOMEN’S ROOKIE Maddee Doerr, Cochise College, 255 points MEN’S TEAM CHAMPION Oklahoma Panhandle State, 750 points

SCHOLARSHIPS NOTHIN’ BUT TRY Shane Drury, Murray State (Ky.) Shelby Moore-Basham, Murray State Levi Wisness, Oklahoma Panhandle State Kaylee Smith, Oklahoma Panhandle State Lee Akin, Missouri Valley College Alyssa Dittmer, Missouri Valley College Betty Gayle Cooper, Utah Valley Katelynn Hood, Utah Valley WALT GARRISON TOP HAND AWARD Chance Ames, Sheridan (Wyo.) College HARRY VOLD DUKE OF THE CHUTES Kaylee Smith, Oklahoma Panhandle State STAN HARTER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Caden Farquer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

SONNY SIKES AWARD Sydney Porter, Idaho State

GEORGE HOWARD MEMORIAL Marylin Melvin, Sam Houston State

WOMEN’S TEAM CHAMPION McNeese State (La.), 480 points

The Oklahoma Panhandle State men’s rodeo

team secured the school’s second- consecutive title at the College National Finals Rodeo, June 16, in Casper, Wyo. The championship took the school’s tally to seven with the other titles in 1997, 1998, 2000, 2004 and 2013. Dan Hubbell photo

ProRodeo Sports News 6/29/2018

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