TSAILE — Cochise College’s small rodeo team traveled 10 hours to the northeast corner of Arizona last weekend to compete in the Apaches’ first fall rodeo, hosted by Dine College.
Freshman Georgia Diez earned the most points for the women’s team, qualifying for the final round of competition Saturday evening in team roping, with teammate Randi Robinson, as well as goat tying and barrel racing.
Diez came away from her first college rodeo with a second-place finish in barrel racing, with 35.75 seconds on her combined two runs, and seventh place in both goat tying and in team roping.
Another freshman, Aubrey Smith, placed third in breakaway roping after roping two calves in a combined time of 7.4 seconds.
Overall, the women’s team finished fourth at the season opener, with Mesalands Community College taking the early Grand Canyon Region lead over New Mexico Highlands University.
The Cochise men’s team failed to qualify any cowboys for the short-round competition Saturday night.
Cochise will host the region’s second fall rodeo this Friday and Saturday at the Cochise County Fair with slacks at 1 p.m. and performances at 6 p.m. each day.