Central students to compete in annual intercollegiate rodeo

College cowboys and cowgirls will have the opportunity to feel like pros for the weekend. For the first time in months, the Ellensburg Rodeo Arena’s gates will swing open and dirt will start flying.

On Friday, April 23, Central is hosting its annual intercollegiate rodeo at the famous rodeo arena in Ellensburg. Teams across the state, including Central’s men’s and women’s Rodeo Clubs, will be competing for a chance to represent their schools at a national competition in Casper, Wyo.

The rodeo will highlight team and individual events, including goat tying, saddle bronc, bareback riding, team roping, break away roping, bull riding and the much-anticipated barrel racing.

The most important event, however, is the silent auction that starts Friday night.

All the proceeds of the auction go towards the Rodeo Club scholarship, which was created in memory of Todd Anderson, the former student president of the Central men’s Rodeo Club.

Anderson passed away in a tragic house fire in 2003.

Anderson’s family comes to this event every year to support those who helped develop the foundation and scholarships for the club. On Saturday night, they will be participating in a ceremony in memory of Todd Anderson.

Cory Sinclair, college sport clubs and camps coordinator, has been helping out with the college rodeo and attending for the last 10 years. He said this event is important for every student, not just those who enjoy rodeo.

“To go to Central and not experience a rodeo, in my mind, is kind of an unfortunate thing,” Sinclair said. “It’s completely put on by the students, and it’s really neat to watch and get an idea of what rodeo is and see passionate students in action.”

Sophomore Courtney Erickson has the same opinion when it comes to having supporters at this anticipated competition.

“Being in Ellensburg, where it’s such a big rodeo community, it’s always nice to have supporters,” Erickson said. “It just feels good going in there knowing you have people there watching you.”

The Ellensburg Rodeo Arena is the same arena the Pro Rodeo Circuit competes in every Labor Day weekend, an event college competitors look forward to months before stepping foot into the arena.

With 14 different schools competing for their spot at a national competition, the stakes are high.

“Ellensburg hosts one of the biggest rodeos [in this area],” said Junior barrel racer Caity Day. “If you have been here Labor Day weekend, you have seen how crazy it gets. It’s definitely a rush to be in there and to be able to ride in there.”

The first event will start at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday with women’s barrel racing, where the team expects to do well.

The Central women’s Rodeo Club currently sits in second place behind Blue Mountain Community College. They expect to win this weekend, which will allow them to travel to Hermiston, Ore. in good standings for their last regional event before nationals.

Junior Kelsey Streeter, who has qualified for Nationals the past two years in barrel racing, competes in multiple events for the Central Rodeo team. She said she believes her team has a great chance to make an impact.

“I think we have a really good chance of going to Nationals,” Streeter said. “In barrel racing, I compete pretty good, and Lexi Cameron competes in goat tying really well, so I think we have a well-rounded team.”