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Clarendon College’s Men’s Rodeo Team made school history and secured its first trip to the National Finals last weekend after winning the Southwest Region title at the Tarleton Stampede in Stephenville April 25-27.

The team went into the regional contest in second place before capturing 515 points, which catapulted Clarendon College to the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region Men’s Team Championship for the first time in school history.

CC’s team will now advance to the College National Finals held in Casper, Wyo., June 9-15.

Tegan and Riggin Smith received several honors following the rodeo. Tegan was named the 2018-19 All Around Champion Cowboy for the second year in a row, the Reserve Champion Saddle Bronc Rider, and the third place finisher in the Bull Riding. He was also nominated to represent the Southwest Region for the Walt Garrison Scholarship Award.

CC’s Riggin Smith was the 2018-19 Saddle Bronc Riding Champion.

Clarendon rodeo coach Bret Franks was also voted the Coach of the Year for the NIRA Southwest Region.

Other team results included Justin Opatrny, a freshman from Cochranton, Penn., who won 3rd in the first round of Bareback Riding. Josh Green, a sophomore from Wetumpka, Ala., made the short round in the fifth position and won third in the round and finished third in the average pulling in 100 team points for his efforts.

In the Tie Down roping, Brody Rankin, a freshman from Roaring Springs, placed 5th in the first round won the short round and the average to bring 140 points for the team.

In the Saddle Bronc Riding, Clarendon College had three representatives in the short round. Tegan Smith placed 2nd, Clint Franks and Riggin Smith split 4th and 5th in the first round; but when the finals were over, Tegan Smith was the Champ, Riggin finished third and Clint was 5th, all of which accumulated 275 points for the team.

CC’s rodeo team was also highlighted at the Tarleton Stampede during an emotional tribute to the late Dalton O’Gorman. The sophomore from Shamrock was a team roper for CC before he passed away in an accident on March 18.

Hedley High School received $2,000 last Thursday from Coffee Memorial Blood Center in Amarillo following the school’s participating in the Kids, Inc. Donor Days blood drive.

With 31 units donated and a higher percentage of school population participating, Hedley beat out Texline and Follett in the competition’s small high school category. Students, staff, and members of the community all rallied together to donate the gift of life.

School officials say the money will toward new playground equipment.

Coffee representatives Suzanne Talley and Amanda Allen spent some time Thursday in Hedley thanking students for their endeavors in this life saving feat.

“I am thankful for generous donors.” Hedley teacher Kari Lindsey said. “I received blood in an emergency situation in 2016. Had it not been for generous donors, like these high school students, staff, and community members donating at local drives, I could have been in serious trouble. Coffee Memorial makes donating blood a quick and easy process.”

Students may donate blood, beginning at age 16 with parent permission. Volunteer donors are the key source of lifesaving blood for patients in need. Distinguished seniors graduating from Hedley High School, who have had two or more successful donations, are signified at graduation by wearing a red cord.

Hedley secretary Morgan Bebout works diligently to schedule blood drives at Hedley School, providing opportunities for students and others to donate. Teenagers often continue to donate blood and save lives as a result of what they began in high school.

Coffee Memorial stated that a collective total of 423 units were collected across the Panhandle during the Kids, Inc., Donor Days competition.

Eight of nine candidates for office in Howardwick participated in forum last Tuesday, April 2, to answer questions submitted by citizens.

Candidate for alderman Tammy Jordan was the lone absence from the forum and told the Enterprise this week she was not notified of the meeting.

Mayoral candidates Coy Cooper, Alderman Brice Hawley, Tony Clemisher, and J.D. Kindle were up first to address citizen concerns, covering a wide range of topics, as presented by City Secretary Sandy Childress.

Hawley and Clemisher both agreed to try to not let meetings go on for three hours or more if elected.

Cooper was asked about “dividing the city,” to which he replied that he merely wants the city to follow the law.

Kindle said he wanted Howardwick to be a good place to raise kids, and Clemishire said that get the fire department situation “straightened out” is critical.

All the candidates at one time or another mentioned roads as being a priority.

Hawley would like to see the city council have more time to review documents before voting on them and also would like citizens to have more time to review ordinances and regulations.

Cooper received a question about his driver’s license.

“I’m not going to show my driver’s license,” he said. “I had to show it to get my voter registration card, and that’s all that’s required.”

Kindle received a question about ways of uniting the city and he said he felt the Hoedown set for this June is a good start and that he also wants to see a place for kids and other citizens can gather. He also wants to bring more business to Howardwick.

Clemishire was asked about his leadership history. He talked about his experience the construction industry and facing adversity against odds.

“I worked my way up as a vice president of a large electrical contracting company,” he said.

Hawley pointed to his past experience as a trustee in the Clear Lake community as an example of his leadership and said spending money on infrastructure and the fire department is important to city growth.

Kindle said his experience as a consultant to other businesses helped qualify him to be mayor and said he imitates leaders in fields of business, particularly oil, wind, and gas.

For their goals, Cooper said he wants people treated equally and the city to follow state laws; Hawley wants a more robust fire department, beautification with walking trails and other amenities, and transparency in government; Clemishire would like to see park and city entrance improvements, and people working together; and Kindle wants more community events, finding common ground with neighbors, and attracting more population to improve quality of life.

Later four candidates for alderman were featured: Beverly McCaskill, Jerry Mullanax, Ericka Mills, and incumbent Johnny Floyd. A recurring them among the alderman candidates was improved communication. Mullanax also focused on enforcing ordinances and resolving the ongoing conflict between the city and volunteer fire department.

Donley County 4-H Horse Judging teams travelled to Canyon on Friday, March 29, to compete in the Traveling Trophy Horse Judging Contest.

The individual results in the senior division follow: Brandalyn Elllis 5th overall, Tanner Burch 14th, Henry Dushay 23rd and Darcy Grahn 29th. As a team, they placed 4th overall.

In the junior division, the 7th place team overall was Laney Gates, Maloree Wann, Brenna Ellis and Bryce Williams. Gracie Ellis, Whitney Williams, Mary Jo Dushay and Elliot Frausto finished 10th overall as a team and Madi Benson, Makynna Williams and Presley Smith placed 13th. Placing in the top 25 as individuals was Laney 9th, Maloree 17th, Gracie 22nd, Madi 23rd, and Whitney 24th.

The following day, 4-H members competed at the Clarendon College Invitational in the horse and livestock judging contests.

The top horse judging team in the junior division of Elliot Frausto, Whitney Williams, Gracie Ellis and Mary Jo Dushay also finished well individually taking the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 12th place ribbons home respectively. The 3rd place overall team of Laney Gates, Maloree Wann and Bryce Williams placed 4th, 7th and 24th as individuals respectively. The 8th place overall team of Presley Smith, Makynna Williams and Madilyn Benson placed 10th, 19th and 29th as individuals.

In the senior division, Brandalyn Ellis was 2nd overall, Henry Dushay 7th and Tanner Burch 11th and they took the top spot placing 1st as a team.

In the livestock judging, the junior team of Grant Haynes, Taylee Ehlert and Parker Haynes placed 8th overall and Grant finished in the top 25 individually at 22nd.