PRCC rodeo gains experience in season opener

HATTIESBURG — The Pearl River rodeo team concluded its first event of the season this past weekend when it hosted the second Ozark Region Rodeo at the James Lynn Cartlidge Multi-Purpose Center in Hattiesburg.

The rodeo featured over 250 contestants from 16 schools and featured nine different competitions that included bareback riding, calf roping, break away roping, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, goat tying and bull riding.

Second-year head coach Robby Shaw was impressed with both the event and the performance of his Wildcats.

PRCC finished sixth in the women's category with 90 points.

Missouri Valley College took home first place in the men’s division with 1,000 points while the University of Tennessee-Martin finished first in the women's division with 380 points.

“Considering it was the first event of the year, and we lost one of our best ropers just a week ago, I thought our team did great,” Shaw said.

Returning sophomore Chase Graves was lost for the year last week after suffering a broken arm.

“We had some people out for the first event and that definitely hurt us as a team but I thought we met our expectations and goals,” Shaw said.

Jesse Pope of Missouri Valley College won first place in bareback riding with 175 points.

Sophomore Tyler Stewart (Brandon) competed in bareback riding but did not qualify past the first round.

Tyler Holder (Lucedale; George County High) competed in th