Moving Forward
Sports
Golf tourney to draw 70+ participants next month
Plans are underway for the Clarendon Country Club to host the 31st annual Western Lone Star Senior Ladies Golf Association Tournament next month, September 10-14, with the theme “Diamonds in the Rough.”
More than 70 lady golfers are expected to attend the three-day match play tournament.
Free practice rounds will be held Sunday, September 10, followed by a welcome party. Qualifying rounds will be held Monday, September 11, and the first day of match play will be Tuesday, September 12.
Tuesday evening will have free time scheduled for shopping, although participants will be shopping other days as well. Local merchants are being encouraged to stay open until 8 p.m. on September 12.
Second day matches get underway on September 13, and the tournament concludes on September 14.
The association tournament has been in Clarendon before in 2008 and 2014, and members support motels, restaurants, and stores while they are in town.
Members of the association come from 21 towns in West Texas – Alpine, Amarillo, Andrews, Big Spring, Borger, Canadian, Canyon, Childress, Clarendon, Dimmitt, Dumas, Farwell, Graham, Hereford, Lubbock, Memphis, Muleshoe, Olney, Shamrock, Snyder, and Tulia.
For more information about the tournament, contact Theresa Shelton at 806-654-2994 or Sherol Johnston at 806-674-8590.
Wilson Cattle Co. wins 2023 Ranch Rodeo
The Wilson Cattle Company took top honors at the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association’s annual Ranch Rodeo last Friday and Saturday during the 146th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration.
Wilson’s scores beat out 19 other local and regional ranch rodeo teams as working cowboys put their skills to the test. The team was made up of Cayce Lewis, Rodey Wilson, Ben Crockett, Jaylen Eldridge, and Cooper McClesky.
The Baca Ranch team finished second with Jake Baca, Jayton Baca, Zane Davis, Jacob Gudgell, and Taylor Burkett; and the Latigo Ranch team was third with Wesley Gudgell, Jacob Gudgell, Truston Gudgell, Levi Moleswroth, and Cody Mason.
The Top Hand for the rodeo was awarded to Jacob Gudgell, and the Top Horse award was won by Jody Padilla.
This year’s attendance for the three-day junior rodeo and ranch rodeo was 1,225, similar to the 1,222 who attended in 2022.
The Junior Ranch Rodeo was won by the Barnes Cattle Company team comprised of Degan Barnes, Kesler Barnes, Bonnar Barnes, Brooks Myers, and Reece Myers. The second place team was the 96 Ranch with Brooks Myers, Reece Myers, Zane McKee, Degan Barnes, and Rankin Proffitt; and the 77 Ranch team was third in the junior competition with Brooks Myers, Reece Myers, Caden Anderson, Chance Anderson, and Degan Barnes.
Top Hand winner for the Junior Ranch Rodeo was Chance Anderson, and Zane McKee rode the Top Horse.
Junior Calf, Donkey, and Steer Riding and Mutton Bustin’ were held all three nights. Overall, Mutton Bustin’ champion for the three nights was Emerson Martindale. Overall Calf Riding Champion was Bo Cobb, the Overall Donkey Rider was Chance Anderson, and Steer Riding champion was Colton Henson.
Nightly winners of the junior events were as follows:
June 29 – Calf Scramble – Carley Jones, Emma Howard, and Laney Shelton; Mutton
Bustin’ – Bix Bischel; Calf Riding – Will Berry, Donkey Riding – Colton Henson; and Steer Riding – Colton Henson.
June 30 – Calf Scramble – Dalton German, Luke Hardin, and Tristan Satterfield; Mutton Bustin’ –Ainslee Lewis; Calf Riding – Bo Cobb; Donkey Riding – Cason Bowers; and Steer Riding – no entries.
July 1 – Calf Scramble – Will Berry, Chole Martindale, Sterlin Stevenson; Mutton Bustin’ – Emerson Martindale; Calf Riding – Will Berry; Donkey Riding – Chance Anderson; and Steer Riding – Elise Bullock.
Country Club plans July 4th Scramble
The Clarendon Country Club will host a 4th of July Scramble next Tuesday, and Tee Time is 1:00 p.m.
Entry fees are $15 per person, non-member green fees are $12, and carts are $12. Bring your own four- or five-person team with no more than two “A” players. If you don’t have a team, you can be put on one.
Call the Pro Shop for more information at 806-874-2166.
Benson runs 6th at State Meet
Freshman Madi Benson earned a wildcard to the State Track Meet in the 400m dash at the Regional track meet. Despite finishing third in that race, Benson earned her spot when her time of 1:00.33 in the Regional Meet was good enough for the wildcard.
Last weekend, Benson ran against a strong field of nine runners. Her determination drove her to sixth place finish with a time of 1:00.95. Benson was a little over three seconds behind the first-place finisher, but only six one-hundredths out of fifth. The top four runners finished under one minute.
Benson is an all-around Lady Bronco and will be a contender at next year’s State track meet.
Ellis sisters qualify for state rodeo
Brenna and Gracie Ellis, sisters and students at Clarendon High School, will be traveling to Abilene June 1-10 to compete in the Texas High School Rodeo Association State Finals.
The state finals rodeo is an annual, week-long event where high school students across Texas and surrounding states come and compete. Numerous awards, scholarships, and the opportunity to represent Texas at the National High School Finals Rodeo held each July are all up for grabs.
Contestants compete in rodeos throughout the year in one of 10 regions across the state. At the last rodeo of regional level competition, the top 10 competitors in each event are announced. These contestants are then given the opportunity to represent their region on the state level at the THSRA state finals.
Brenna, a Clarendon High School senior and THSRA Region 1 member, will be competing on the state level in the goat tying event.
“The goat tying competition was very tough in Region 1 this year,” Brenna said. “I am happy to have qualified for state for my fourth and final year in high school rodeo.”
Gracie, a Clarendon High School freshman and THSRA Region 1 member, will be competing on the state level in the barrel racing and pole bending events.
“I was able to gain an early lead in the pole bending during the fall rodeos, so I just had to stay consistent during the spring rodeos to win the region,”
Gracie said. “The barrel racing competition was very tough. I had to come from behind and really make some good runs in the final stretch. I am excited to be going to my first high school state finals, not only as a freshman, but also as a region event champion.”
Rodeo performances, as well as other events held throughout the week are open to the public each morning and afternoon. Shuttle services will be offered on the Taylor County Expo Center grounds, and tickets will be sold at the gates. Schedule updates will be posted to the THSRA Facebook and Instagram pages regularly throughout the week.
The Texas High School Rodeo Association is the largest, most prestigious state high school rodeo association in the nation. THSRA sponsors over 125 rodeos per year throughout 10 regions across Texas. The rodeo year begins in August and concludes with the Texas High School Finals Rodeo in June. It is here, at the largest rodeo in the state of Texas, where “The Elite Compete” featuring the top cowboys and cowgirls from each Region. They compete for numerous awards, scholarships as well as the coveted honor of representing Texas at the National High School Finals Rodeo to be held this July in Lincoln, NE.
Those interested in watching the Ellis girls compete can catch all the rodeo action live on the Cowboy Channel.
Bi-District Champions!
The Clarendon Broncos aremoving on in post-season with two huge knockout wins over West Texas last weekend. The boys in maroon scored 37 runs in the best of three-series to only five for their opponents to claim the championship.
The Broncos won the first game 12-1 and won the final game 25-4. Junior Easton Frausto was on fire on the mound in the first game going the full five innings with 10 strike-outs and allowing only one run.
WT was the first to cross home plate in the first inning with their only run of the game. The Broncos would go two innings before they were able to put five runs on the board in the third. Frausto was a workhorse at the plate and knocked down a double that scored the Broncos’ first runs and repeated that hit in the fifth. They scored a total of seven runs in the final innings thanks to several big hits.
Overall, the Broncos were strong offensively and defensively. They racked up nine hits and only committed one error in the field. They also grabbed five stolen bases and only seven strikeouts. Harrison Howard collected two hits and two runs and Colton Caudle managed on hit and two runs. Tyler Harper and Jared Musick had two RBIs while Frausto brought in five RBIs.
Game two ended in the Broncos favor due to the 17 hits racked up by the Broncos. Behind the pitching of Howard in the first two innings. Howard allowed no hits and no runs. He threw five strikeouts and only walked one hitter. Harper and Wilson Ward took over the duties for the remainder of the game with Harper throwing two innings with six strikeouts and allowing three hits. Ward went one inning on the mound.
WT made one final attempt at a comeback in the third inning scoring four runs, but it was too little too late. The Broncos were too strong and stopped WT from scoring again.
The Broncos will play Sundown at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 11, in Floydada. Game two will be on Saturday, May 13, at 4:00 p.m. in the Area Round.
Benson earns run at state meet
Freshman Madi Benson has begun to develop her speed in the 400m all season. After a district championship in that event, Benson took her talent to the Regional Meet in Canyon at WTAMU last week where she captured third place with a time of 1:00.33 just a half of a second out of first place.
Benson was sixth in the prelims with a time of 1:03.46. Benson’s third place finish earned her the wild card to compete in the state meet May 11-13.
The Lady Bronco mile relay competed in the meet and finished 10th in the prelims with a time of 4:28.11 and was run by Kenidee Hayes, Berkley Moore, Elliot Frausto, and Benson. The 400m relay also ran and finished 13th in the prelims. Running that relay was Moore, Hayes, Baylee Gabel, and Benson. Frausto also ran the 800m at a time of 2:36.87 which was good enough for 11th place.
On the men’s side, Kaleb Bolin ran the 400m dash in a time of 54.23 in the prelims for 10th place.
Lyric Smith placed sixth in the high jump with a jump of 6’ and turned in a distance of 20’3 ¼” in the long jump.
District Champions
CC rodeo advances to NFR again
The Clarendon College Men’s rodeo team emerged as the second-place team in the Southwest Region by a mere 36.67 points once the dust had settled this past weekend in Stephenville’s Lone Star Arena after a hard-fought battle.
The top two teams as well as the top three individuals in each event in the final standings will advance on to the College National Finals Rodeo.
The Bulldogs were edged out by Western Texas College and followed by Tarleton State University and Texas Tech University in the third and fourth spots.
In the bareback riding, Sam Petersen won the event by winning first in the long round with an 83.5 ride and third in the short round with his 80-point ride. Weston Patterson placed fifth in the long round with 76 points but drew a rank one in the short round and failed to make the eight second whistle while Boyce Kraut finished fifth in the average with his 70- and 54-point rides.
Petersen held on to his number one spot in the standings to earn the Southwest Region Bareback Champion title.
Dylan Hancock brought home the Southwest Region Saddle Bronc Champion title while Slade Keith finished the year in third place. Hancock won second in the long round with an 80-point ride and was third in both the short round and the average with his 79.5-point ride. Talon Elshere was fourth in the average with his 77 and 78.5 rides while Slade Keith finished fifth in the average with 77.5- and 75-point rides.
Cauy Masters also made it back to the short round with his 76 point
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