Texas Town Hosts College Rodeo Shootout

Trinity Valley Expo partnered with the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association to offer college rodeo contestants the inaugural opportunity to compete at the National Collegiate Champion Shootout.

Lauren Fritzler | Oct 20, 2023

Jackie Jensen Photography

The first ever National Collegiate Champion Shootout is happening in Liberty, Texas at the Trinity Valley Expo. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association sanctioned event is being held October 18-21. Collegiate rodeo athletes from around the country will compete in the nine NIRA events including: bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding, tie down roping, steer wrestling, team roping, breakaway roping, barrel racing and goat tying.

The top two rodeo athletes from the Big Sky, Central Plains, Central Rocky Mountain, Grand Canyon, Great Plains, Northwest, Ozark, Rocky Mountain, Southern, Southwest and West Coast Regions will travel to Texas for their shot at $100,000. In each event, all 22 contestants will compete one time, in one of three performances. Performance one took place Wednesday, performance two is Thursday night, and the eight remaining contestants will compete on Friday.

The top eight competitors in each event move on to the short go. These contestants will battle it out Saturday in the Championship round. The “clean slate” format means they must leave it all on the line.

Payout for round one is $5,000 per event.

First place- $2,000

Second place- $1,500

Third place- $1,000

Fourth place- $500

Payout for the short go is $3,600 per event.

First place- $2,400

Second place- $1,200

The National Champion Collegiate Shootout is a condensed version of the College National Finals Rodeo. Whether the athlete rodeos in the West Coast Region or the Southwest region, the equal opportunity for a great pay day is theirs for the taking.

Visit www.collegerodeo.com for extended information.

Published Oct 20, 2023

LAUREN FRITZLER

Originally from Northeastern Colorado, Lauren grew up on a farm and ranch where she was heavily involved in production ag. The small Colorado town allowed Lauren to flourish. Lauren’s family has a generational love for rodeo and she was naturally attracted to the western lifestyle. From an early age, she would compete in rodeos and travel with her mom to rodeos around the state while juggling school involvement. She prides herself in not only competing in rodeos, but winning rodeos on horses raised on the ranch. Lauren got to Texas as fast as she could. She currently attends West Texas A&M University where she studies Agricultural Media and Communication with a double minor in Ag Business and Economics and Broadcast Journalism. She is an Agricultural Ambassador for the Department and serves as the President for Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow. When Lauren is not in the classroom, she is striving for excellence in her professional life. She has completed an internship at the College National Finals Rodeo and the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo, where she gained skills to make her mark on the western industry. She uses her graphic design skills to create logos for small businesses, travels to spend time with family, and immerses herself into the rodeo world. No matter where life takes her, Lauren is strong-willed and dedicated to her God-given purpose. Day by day, she aspires to be an advocate for agriculture and the western lifestyle. Lauren Fritzler believes we are all lifelong students, that the western lifestyle allots extensive learning opportunities throughout a lifetime. In efforts to teach others about rodeo, she is thrilled at the opportunity to collaborate with Sports Illustrated Rodeo Daily.