OGDEN, Utah – Members of the Weber State University Rodeo Club brought home more than $9,000 in scholarship money thanks to their performances in regional and national competitions.

The club won $5,000 at the College National Finals Rodeo and $4,400 at the Rocky Mountain regional competition. The money, provided by U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Scholarship Awards, must be used exclusively for scholarships, student fees and books. U.S. Tobacco has contributed more than $4.6 million to the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in the past 29 years.

Photo by Theresa Herbin/University Communications
Rodeo club advisor Dennis Montgomery (center) and WSU student Jennifer Freeland (right) present President F. Ann Millner with a check for $5,000. The team received the money, which will be used for scholarships, as a result of its performance at the College National Finals Rodeo held in Wyoming this summer.

WSU's women's team won first place in the regional event and placed second in nationals. The men's team placed second in the region and ninth at nationals. This year 53 colleges and universities from across the country qualified to compete at nationals, held in Casper, Wyo., this summer.

Eleven students represented WSU at nationals. Jennifer Freeland, a senior from Lehi, Utah, who is pursuing an accounting degree, finished third in the all around at nationals. WSU's Katie MacKenzie finished second overall in breakaway roping; teammate Kimberly Bourne ranked 42nd. In goat tying, Freeland finished 12th, while MacKenzie ranked 29th. In barrel racing, Freeland was sixth. Teammate Chelsea Talbot also qualified for nationals in barrel racing.

On the men's side, WSU's Billy Wall finished fifth overall in bareback riding. Calf roper Whit Cross ranked 10th overall. In saddle bronc riding, WSU's Jerad McFarlane ended up eighth; Beau Smith ranked 19th overall. In steer wrestling, WSU's Jake Ashworth finished 33rd. In team roping, WSU's Jake Erickson finished 19th with Matt Kennedy 20th.