Panola College hosted the first of 10 Southern Region Rodeo's this last weekend September 23-24, at the Panola County Cattleman's Association Arena. There were over 400 contestants, and over 1,000 spectators over the weekend.
Panola's Bailey Plaisier and Taylor Gooch won big in the bareback riding and the goat tying as they led the way for the men's and women's teams. The Panola men's team ended up in 2nd place, while the women's team ended up in 3rd place overall.
Panola men started the action off right in the bareback riding by winning 1, 3, and 4th in the event. Bailey Plaisier topped the field with a 79-point ride. Plaisier, from Manitoba Canada, is a sophomore working for a degree in Ranch and Land Management. Travis Chapman, freshman from Spurger, TX, won 3rd place with a 75-point exciting ride. Ethan Andrepont, sophomore from DeRidder, LA., placed 4th with a 73-point ride.
"Bareback riding is considered to be the most physically demanding event in rodeo and Panola has an amazing group of young men willing to stand up to the task," said Don Clinton, Panola College Athletic Director.
Women's team member Taylor Gooch, of Hemphill, TX, put on a clinic in the goat tying. She tied her very own arena record with a blazing fast time of 6.6 seconds to top the field. Gooch is working on her second degree from Panola College and has big goals of qualifying for the college finals in two events, the goat tying and breakaway roping.
Bull rider Fulton Rutland, of Stillwell, OK, scored an 80-point ride to win 3rd place. Rutland took a bad fall getting off his bull and was taken to the hospital for x-rays. The tests were negative for a break, however. Rutland, who was a CNFR qualifier last year and finished 3rd in the nation, is expected to be at the top of this event all season.
"I expect Fulton to make a full recovery and to achieve his goal of winning a national title," said Coach Jeff Collins.
The Iron Man is back to his old tricks. Caleb Cogbill, a sophomore from Orange, TX, placed 5th in the steer wrestling event.
"The typical steer wrestler is 6-foot something and weighs 200 and something. Caleb is 5-foot nothing and 155 pounds and just keeps on coming," Clinton said.
Cogbill is in his 3rd year at Panola College, working toward a degree in Petroleum Technology. He is a multi-event cowboy who is very beneficial to our team and community, according to Collins.
Logan Cook, a freshman from Alto, TX, won 4th in the team roping by heeling a steer in 7.8 seconds. He competes in the calf roping and the saddlebronc riding as well. Cook is a talented cowboy and is expected to be a great asset to the Panola team. He is working toward a degree in Ag Ranch and Land Management.