EMCC set to host NIRA Ozark Region collegiate rodeo beginning Thursday at West Point's Eagle Ranch

SCOOBA – Exciting collegiate rodeo action returns to Mississippi's Golden Triangle this week.  For three days beginning Thursday, the city of West Point and Eagle Ranch will be the temporary home for 350 collegiate cowboys and cowgirls from four-year universities and two-year community colleges, including host East Mississippi Community College, traveling from the states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee.

Hosted by EMCC for the third consecutive year with assistance provided by Luke Lummus Rodeo Productions, the three-day (March 26-28) collegiate rodeo will mark the second event of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's 2015 Ozark Region spring schedule.  Performances are scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. all three nights (Thursday-Saturday).  Ticket prices each day will be $10 for adults and $5 for students with children aged five years and younger being admitted free of charge.

For the children, the three-day rodeo will feature a pig scramble for kids aged five and under, a calf scramble for those aged 6-10 as well as a chicken scramble for youngsters between the ages of 11-15.

Competing in long-go and short-go rounds throughout the three-day rodeo, men's events will be held in bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping.  Women's competition will feature barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying.

Along with the EMCC men's and women's rodeo teams, the NIRA's 11-member Ozark Region features the University of West Alabama, Murray State University, the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, the University of Tennessee at Martin, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas at Monticello, Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, Missouri Valley College, Three Rivers College, and Northwest Mississippi Community College.

The Missouri Valley College men's and women's rodeo teams currently lead the NIRA Ozark Region's team standings and are nationally ranked second and 13^th, respectively.  On the men's side, reigning national champion UT Martin is currently ranked sixth nationally and West Alabama is 23^rd.  The Southern Arkansas women presently rank 16^th in the NIRA's national standings.

Guided by fifth-year head coach Morgan Goodrich, the EMCC women's rodeo team ranks 25^th nationally and third within the NIRA's Ozark Region team standings with 1,095 total points behind Missouri Valley College (1,645 points) and Southern Arkansas University (1,405).  This rodeo season, East Mississippi has thus far claimed the first two women's team titles in the program's five-year rodeo history with first-place finishes coming at the season-opening Missouri Valley College-hosted Viking Rodeo Stampede back in September and most recently last month at the spring-opening UA Cossatot College Rodeo in Texarkana, Ark.   

The EMCC men's rodeo team is currently in sixth place among the NIRA's Ozark Region team standings with 925 total points.     

Highlighting East Mississippi's individual rodeo performances to date this season, sophomore transfer Kelsey Kennemer has claimed a pair of women's All-Around championships during the current campaign.  The Troy University transfer by way of Anderson, Ala., earned top women's honors at last month's UA Cossatot College Rodeo and previously during the fall's Murray State Racer Roundup College Rodeo.