The Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences and Technology
Hushour leads Fresno State Bulldoggers at national college rodeo
(June 20, 2017) -- Five Fresno State rodeo men’s and women’s team members capped their season at the College National Finals Rodeo on June 11 through 17 in Casper, Wyo.
Senior Dillon Hushour (Fairfield) claimed the team’s top effort with a ninth-place finish in the steer wrestling final standings. His best time of 5.4 seconds came in the opening round, and he also clocked a 5.5-second time in the short go final round.
Junior Colton Campbell (Klamath Falls, Ore.) was one of six competitors overall that scored in at least two of the six men’s events thanks to his 19th-place finish in the team roping and 27th-place finish in tie down roping.
Two other Fresno State sophomores, Bodi Dodds (Sanger) and Rial Engelhart (Lakeview, Ore.), competed in men’s team roping (19th) and tie down roping (42nd), respectively.
Junior Jamie Giefer (Springville) competed for the Fresno State women’s team and finished 42nd in the breakaway roping event.
The Fresno State competitors earned their bids based on top-three West Coast rankings that were compiled over eight regular season competitions from September through May.
Campbell, Hushour and Giefer also competed at the college national rodeo in 2016, and the team is under the guidance of second-year coach Tony Branquinho.
Campbell was the top returning Fresno State national placer that will return to Casper after a fourth-place team roping healer finish in 2016. His horse, Nic-N-Pine, also received the 2016 NIRA/American Quarter Horse Association Horse of the Year award.
Entering this year's event, Hushour ranked 12th nationally and second regionally in steer wrestling; Dodds stood 14th nationally in team roping header and third regionally; Engelhart ranked third regionally in the tie down roping standings; and Giefer and stood second regionally in the breakaway roping category.
In the regional team rankings, the Bulldoggers men capped the regular season ranked ninth nationally and third in the West Coast Region — one position shy of a national invitation. The women’s team stood fifth regionally.
In recent years, the women’s team has advanced to the national event after second-place regional finishes in 2015 and ’16.
The national event features over 400 entrants from 100 universities and 11 regions, and more information is at http://cnfr.com. Regional standings are available at https://www.collegerodeo.com/standings.
The Fresno State rodeo team dates back to 1946 and officially became a club in 1949 — the same year the first College National Finals Rodeo was held in San Francisco. Today, the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association sponsors more than 100 college rodeos that include 3,500 student members and 137 universities.