College Athletes Hit Rodeo Trail Across Country

Student athletes start season swinging for the fences in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

The college rodeo season is underway, spanning 11 regions where students working towards bachelors, masters, and some in doctorate programs, are loading up their rigs to compete representing their colleges. 

The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association was established in Alpine, Texas in 1948. Starting with 12 colleges, the organization has expanded to roughly 140 colleges represented by over 3,500 student athletes competing in eight events. 

The difference for college rodeo athletes is their limited season, since they are all required to be full-time students, only 10 rodeos are held per region each year. Students also help put on and run each rodeo, traveling to the different college towns. 

This weekend, seven of those regions are on the road. 

- Big Sky - University of Montana Western, Dillion, Montana. 

-Central Plains - Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, Oklahoma. 

-Central Rocky Mountains - Sheridan College, Sheridan, Wyoming.

-Great Plains - Dickinson State University, Dickinson, North Dakota. 

-Ozark - University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama. 

-Rocky Mountain - Utah State University, Logan Utah. 

-Southwest - Vernon College, Vernon, Texas. 

Schedules and locations can be found on NIRA's website.

With some regions only starting or half way through their seasons, the standings are still far from telling who will qualify for the College National Finals Rodeo, held each June in Casper, Wyoming. Student athletes accumulate points throughout the season to send the top three in each event, and the top two mens and womens teams to the CNFR. 

NIRA is one of the last associations where athletes compete and practice as a team in the sport of rodeo. The comradery of the young athletes bonds students from across the country, and even international students.