After five rodeos and only one rodeo left in the fall semester at Murray State University, the cowboys of UTM are on top.

The men’s team has won three of the five rodeos. UTM currently leads the men’s team points with 1,507 points over Missouri Valley College with 1,255 points and the University of West Alabama with 1,015 points.

The bareback riding is currently being dominated by the UTM cowboys. Josh Shackleford is in first place in the region at the present time with 490 points and third place in the nation. Scotty NeSmith is nipping on his spur straps with 360 points. Matt Bright sits in third place and Whit Ashe is in fifth place. The top position at the last five rodeos has juggled back and forth between Shackleford and NeSmith.

Curtis Griffin is currently in second place for the All-Around title with 245 points, slightly behind Jake Littlefield from UWAL with 490 points.

Griffin is in sixth place in the bull riding and, after a win at ECCC, he has jumped into second place in the steer wrestling. Two other UTM cowboys are striving for the steer wrestling title. Jason Dement sits in eighth place and Zach Waggoner is in ninth place. They are both only 100 points out of the first place position.

Zak Danison, the graduate assistant, is in competition this year. This is Danison’s first year at UTM and he is currently in seventh place in the calf roping and sixth place in the team roping as a header. Tyler Fleming is also in the point standings in the team roping with 32.5 points.

Three cowboys have made their marks in the team roping as a heeler so far this year. Randall Gillespie, Waggoner and Ty Ferrell have swung their loops into points.

The women’s team has had a few victories and a few hardships but are pulling together to try and win the regional title. They head into the sixth rodeo with 555 points. They are currently in third place behind the University of Arkansas-Monticello with 715 points and MVC with 595 points.

Courtney Barnfield is on top of the regional standings in barrel racing with 300 points. She is also in fourth place in the nation. Teammate Audrey Lipsky is not giving her any slack though. Lipsky is currently in fourth place with 140 points in the region.

Lyndsie Brower, Danielle Beckwith and Ashlee Miller have brought home points in the breakaway roping. All three cowgirls have points and with five rodeos left to compete in, they are capable of attaining great things.

The goat tying has challenged the cowgirls to have smooth dismounts and quick hands. Nikki Jackson, Brower and Jaime Fawn Kouwe have placed throughout the past rodeos.