The Missouri Valley College men’s and women’s rodeo teams finished competition at the 2022 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming . The teams produced one National champion, one reserve National champion, and four All-Americans. The men’s team finished third overall, and the women’s team placed ninth.

Two Viking cowboys competed in the short go-round of bareback riding. Ty Pope finished with an 85.0 to win the short go-round and claim the 2022 bareback riding National championship with a 318.5 in the average. Pope becomes the first individual National champion for the men’s program since Tim O’Connell won the bareback riding title in 2015. Pope earned 280 total points.

MVC Rodeo Coach Ken Mason describes Pope’s performance.

Cole Franks (Clarendon, Iowa) finished with an 81.5 in the short go-round and earned reserve National champion status with a 317.5 in the average. Earlier in the week, Franks won the first go-round with an 82.5. Franks earned 260 total points. Franks was the defending bareback riding champion, competing last year for Clarendon (Iowa).

In steer wrestling, Tucker Alberts (Howell, Mich.) finished third in the average with a 19.0 after a 5.3 in the short go-round. Earlier in the week, Alberts won the second go-round with a 3.4. Alberts earned 220 total points.

For the women’s team, Cheyenne Anderson (Palmyra, Mo.) competed in goat tying and finished sixth in the average with a 25.5. Anderson posted a 6.6 in the short go-round. Anderson earned 105 total points.

Other Vikings scoring for the men’s rodeo team includes Nick Pelke (Mondovi, Wis.) earning 10 points and finishing No. 16 in the bareback riding average with a 210.5. For the women’s team, Kenlie Raby (Mt. Vernon, Ark.) earned 80 points in breakaway roping after winning the third go-round, and setting a facility record, with a 1.7. She finished No. 32 in the average with a 14.1. Lakin Cunningham (Louisburg, Kan.) earned 20 points in goat tying after a 6.3 in the second go-round. She finished No. 13 in the average with a 20.2.

Mason says MVC Rodeo is blessed to have great athletes.

The men’s team finished third in the standings with 770 points. Tarleton (Texas) won the team title with 900 points. McNeese (La.) was second with 780 points. The men’s team posted its best finish since 2010, when the program was reserve National champions. The women’s team finished with a final score of 205 points to place ninth overall. Weatherford (Texas) finished first with 538.3 points.