Saturday, October 14, 2006

Rodeo finalists find mixed results at state

Thrills and spills for Socorro-area participants in soggy Las Vegas

Jason W. Brooks El Defensor Chieftain Reporter, jbrooks@dchieftain.com

Muddy and rainy conditions make for added excitement in some areas of sport. Hitching up a horse trailer alone in those conditions isn't one of those moments.

That's what Debbie Hogland said she encountered in Las Vegas, N.M., while attending the New Mexico Rodeo Association's State Finals on Oct. 7-8.

Her wrestling matches with her trailer in the mud was just one of many battles Socorro-area residents faced as the finals were conducted on one of the muddiest and rainiest weekends of the year.

"My daughter (Audra) hit her knee on a barrel while racing, and it was all swollen, so she couldn't do anything," said Debbie Hogland of her experience at the finals. "So I pretty much had to do everything myself."

Though the competition was held in a covered arena, heavy rains and muddy surfaces made travel, transitions and moving animals very difficult at the rodeo.

Still, the finals weren't all dreary in terms of rodeo success for those from the Socorro area.

Debbie Hogland and others from the Socorro area managed to bring home some prize money.

Hogland, of Lemitar, was second in the incentive barrel racing average score category, pocketing $504.

Laura Haines, also of Lemitar, was second in the incentive racing's first go with a time of 17.319 seconds, taking home $378.

Originally, both rounds of the barrel racing were scheduled to be run Friday, Oct. 7.

Rainy weather postponed the second go of competition to Saturday, making for an extremely long second day of the rodeo.

Another Lemitar resident, Tawsha Jacobs, who also entered the incentive barrels, competed in breakaway roping and was the fourth fastest roper in the second round of that event.

Her time of 3.34 seconds netted her $83.33.

Jacobs' daughter, Makayla, competed in the incentive barrels as well.

Makayla Jacobs, 11, had what Debbie Hogland described as "two nice runs" but was not listed as one of the top money-winners in the event.

Three entries with Socorro County connections were tops in other events.

Leon Mounyo and his partner, Paul Mendoza, took first place in the second go of incentive team roping at Las Vegas.

The pair was paid $626.67 for their time of 5.94 seconds.

Tim Muncy took top honors in both rounds of the saddle bronc riding, making him the finals champion.

Muncy made nearly $700 total in his two rides at the finals.

Wacey Walraven of Datil, who has competed at the National College Finals Rodeo twice, tied for second in the second go of Open Calf Roping event, posting a score of 8.69 to collect $164.25.

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