East Mississippi rodeo team places third in men's competition at UT Martin-hosted event

MARTIN, Tenn. – Continuing their successful spring season, the East Mississippi Community College men's rodeo team posted a second straight third-place team finish this past weekend at the 44th Annual Spring College Rodeo hosted by the University of Tennessee at Martin at the Ned Ray McWherter Agricultural Complex and N.W. (Doc) Robinson Arena.

Along with the Lions' third-place team showing, EMCC freshman cowgirl Kellie Hailey claimed all-around individual honors to lead the Lady Lions to a fourth-place team finish.  The former Central Academy product accounted for all of EMCC's 215 team points on the women's side with a second-place effort in the goat tying event and a fifth-place finish in the barrel racing competition. 

In the men's competition, the Lions scored most of their 270 team points in the calf roping event.  Freshman cowboy Martin Walker, of Belzoni, earned 150 points for his first-place finish in the event, which included a time of 8.2 seconds in the short-go round.  Fellow EMCC freshmen Scooter Scarbrough and Marshall Harrison, both from Florence, also placed in calf roping.

Freshman Ethan Bobo, of Carthage, was responsible for EMCC's other 70 points with a fifth-place showing in steer wrestling.

The top two men's teams in the Ozark Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association maintained their respective spots atop the regional standings with Missouri Valley College edging host UT Martin by 15 points, 795-780.  With their third-place finish at UT Martin, the EMCC Lions now trail Southern Arkansas University by just five points (2195-2190) for third place in the current Ozark Region men's team overall standings.  EMCC opened the spring slate with a runner-up team finish at the Cossatot Community College rodeo in Texarkana, Ark.  

UTM and MVC switched places in the women's competition as host UT Martin out-scored Missouri Valley, 495-325, to take the team title and gain ground on front-running Southern Arkansas among the regional team standings.

For the season, EMCC's Hailey takes over the No. 1 spot in the women's all-around category for the Ozark Region with 778.33 cumulative points.  For the Lions, Scarbrough and Bobo presently stand fourth regionally in the calf roping and steer wrestling events, respectively, with composite point totals of 375 and 350. 

The ninth stop on the NIRA's Ozark Region 2011-12 rodeo slate is set for this week (April 19-21) in Senatobia.  The Landers-Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep Ranger Rodeo will begin Thursday evening at the Northwest Mississippi Community College Multipurpose Arena.  The main event, presented by America's Best Value Inn and Delta Power Sports, will begin at 7:30 p.m. each night during the three-day event.