Texas Tech Riders Win 60th Annual Rodeo

Written by Erin Hawes

Erica Creswell and Luke Creasy of Texas Tech University were awarded championship titles on Oct. 17 during the 60^th consecutive NIRA rodeo.

Erica Creswell, a senior from Weatherford, received the all-around champion cowgirl title after competing against more than 200 female contestants in the final rodeo competition.

She completed the first round in 2.1 seconds, finishing in first place out of 100 other women. She also won the preliminary round in goat tying in 8.2 seconds. Her women’s all-around placement helped the Lady Raiders take the women’s championship title.

Other Lady Raiders that placed:

• Taylor Langdon, freshman from Aubrey, finished third in the finals and fourth overall in barrel racing
• Kallie Lamb, Alberta, Canada, placed fourth in go round one and sixth overall
• Ashley Davis, senior from Reform, Ala., took third in go round one and seventh overall
• Dani McGuire, junior from Gardendale, placed fifth in go round one in breakaway roping and seventh overall.

The Texas Tech men’s team won reserve champion team led by Luke Creasy, a senior from Alberta, Canada. Creasy won the bareback bronco riding title after placing first in go round one with a 77-point ride. He also tied with a 78-point trip, which lead the regional leader to win the overall bareback riding championship.

Other men that placed:

• Logan Allen, senior from Crescent, Iowa, won second place in the saddle bronco riding
• Ryan Shanklin, junior from Rocksprings, placed second in bull riding
• Adam Sawyer, Bassett, Neb., placed fourth in calf roping
• Chance Honey, La Junta, Colo., placed fourth in steer wrestling
• Clay Brown, Stephenville, placed fifth in the team roping finals
• Matt Pemelton, McAllen, also placed fifth in the team roping finals

The top two teams will advance and compete at the College National Finals Rodeo next June in Casper, Wyo.