SWTX rodeo team wins big at A&M event
By Sugar Almand
Uvalde, TX, February 11, 2025 - The Southwest Texas College Rodeo Team started off their 2025 season last weekend with monumental success at East Texas A&M University in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
Over two days of stiff competition, the team nabbed both the Champion Women’s Team title and the Reserve Champion Men’s Team title. The Cowboy’s performances ultimately pushed both teams into third place in the region and four individual Southwest Texas College athletes into first place in their events in the Southern Region standings.
“We had an incredible weekend,” said coach Joey Almand. “It’s been many years, or maybe never, that our program has seen both our men’s and women’s teams at the top end of the southern region standings like this. I can’t express how ecstatic we are with this kind of achievement. To have a weekend that results in both teams climbing to third in the region team standings and also now seeing four of our athletes sitting first in the region in their perspective events is something so exciting for our team, our college and our town. When you add on to this that Slade Wood is also leading the all around standings in the region, it’s hard to be in a position that could be any better for Southwest Texas College.”
Laredo cowgirl Alissa Flores and her incredible horse Jager led the women’s team by running the fastest barrel racing time of the two-go contest on Saturday night. The effort resulted in both the short round win and the event’s Barrel Racing title. Teammate and fellow barrel racer Whitley Williams contributed to the ladies' points total, placing third on Saturday night and finishing fourth overall.
Junior Slade Wood earned the event’s Men’s All Around title by placing in both the tie down roping and team roping with teammate Jayse Tettenhorst. Wood now leads the region in the heading event and Tettenhorst leads in the heeling. In addition, Freshman Tyler Calhoun earned the reserve champion tie down roping title propelling him to first in the tie down Southern Region standings.
“Leaving this rodeo with Alissa leading the barrel racing, Tyler leading the tie down roping, Slade leading the all around and heading and Jayse leading the heeling in our region sure made the 7 hour drive home a lot easier,” said coach Almand. “I’m so thankful for the support of our college and our amazing community, but I’m most thankful for the opportunity to lead such an incredibly talented group of athletes that work so hard and want to win for our college and our community.”
The Southern Region college rodeo competition continues on February 28 and March 1 when the Cowboys travel to Bryan, Texas, to compete at Texas A&M University.