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BY MACKENZIE JOHNSON/Multimedia Journalist
For the first time this fall semester of rodeo for Tarleton State University, the Texans have brought home an All-Around Cowgirl Championship back to Stephenville.
Tarleton freshman Kaylie Garza won the breakaway roping and the reserve championship in goat tying at the Clarendon College rodeo Oct. 10-12 in Clarendon, Texas.
Tarleton rodeo athlete Waitley Sharon also acquired an event championship of his own in the saddle bronc riding, finalizing another weekend win for the men’s team.
Tarleton rodeo has yet to fail to bring home a men’s championship for the weekend at the first three college rodeos, promptly sitting the men’s team in the driver’s seat for the regional number one position, surging ahead with 1,790 points. Western Texas College trails behind with 960 points.
The women’s team have been bumped into the passenger seat of regional standings, but are hot on the heels of Cisco College, tallying to be only less than 65 points behind Cisco to move out of the second place position.
Garza’s all-around championship played a massive role in bridging that gap.
“Being able to win the breakaway, win second in goats and win the all-around at my third college rodeo was such an amazing experience,” Garza said. “I am so grateful that everything worked out in my favor.”
In the long round at Clarendon, Garza won the breakaway roping with a time of 1.7 seconds and tied for 2nd-4th in the goat tying in 6.4 seconds, qualifying her for the short round.
In the short round, Garza kept that winning streak alive.
“In the short round for breakaway, my plan was to just see my start and throw at the first shot I saw,” Garza said. “ I wanted to keep it very simple and not overthink anything, especially since I knew I drew a good calf. In goat tying, my game plan was pretty much the same thing – to just go out there and not try to be too quick where I make a mistake, but don’t safety up.”
Several other Tarleton athletes qualified for the short round and fared well beneath the Saturday night lights.
Besides Garza and Sharon, the two event winners, Taylon Carmody, Roedy Farrell and Tucker Carricato (reserve champion) qualified in the bareback riding; Brayden Roe and Cole Walker (reserve champion) qualified in the tiedown roping; Coleman Shalbetter, Bailey Small and Travis Handley qualified in the saddle bronc; Austin Van Nest and Landris White (reserve champion) qualified in the steer wrestling; Emily McDeavitt, Brooklyn Balch, Keni Labrum and Shyanne Bauerle qualified in the goat tying; Stran Schilling qualified in the team roping and Patton Lynch and Kaycee Thomas qualified in the barrel racing.
Tarleton rodeo has always upheld the reputation of housing winners and Garza credits that honor and what Tarleton has built with it to her success.
“Tarleton’s rodeo team definitely played a very crucial role in my win at Clarendon,” Garza said. “All of our amazing coaches give us every possibility to practice and give us great teammates who push each other and are each other’s biggest supporters.”
Although Garza’s college rodeo career has just now begun, her Tarleton support system has already vastly shaped her as an individual.
“Although I’ve only been in college for a little over a month, my coaches and teammates have made it the best experience,” Garza said. “Both have helped me tremendously with my mental game in the arena by always being supportive and encouraging.”
A college rodeo student’s mental game is something that is brought up often when they make it to the winner’s circle, and Garza is no exception to prioritizing that aspect in her early success.
“I want to make sure I’m not overthinking how I do or what draw I get,” Garza said of her competitive mindset. “I need to trust myself and most importantly God. He has it all planned out already and I just need to keep reminding myself of those things.”
Garza plans to keep these goals at the forefront of her perspective as she envisions the remainder of the fall college rodeo season.
“My plan for the next rodeos is to change nothing and have the same mindset as I did in Clarendon,” Garza said. “It’s just another run that I have made a thousand times.”
For certain, Garza’s Clarendon victory sets her up with the momentum for those next thousand times to be just as successful, and the rest of Tarleton’s Clarendon short go qualifiers are in a similar boat – a boat sailing steadfast to another winning college rodeo season.
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