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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.