The Southeastern Oklahoma State University rodeo teams placed several individuals in both the men’s and women’s events in their final rodeo of the fall last weekend at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva.

“We definitely could have done better,” said Storm head coach Holly Fred. “I would have liked to have seen more of the guys make it to the short go, but I’m sure we will improve in the rodeos we have next spring.”

Both teams have individuals who are doing very well in the Central Plains regional standings, which determine who makes it to the national rodeo at the end of the spring season next year. The top three individuals in every event advance to the national rodeo.

The men’s and the women’s teams are also in good position, sitting fourth in the region, within striking distance of the region leaders with six rodeos to come in the spring.

“Both teams lost a little ground,” Fred said. “Both the men and the women were standing second in the region prior to the Northwestern rodeo, but we’re not so far back that we can’t make up the difference.”

The men trail region leader Fort Scott Community College by 230 points, while the women need to make up 430 points to catch regional leader Northwestern Oklahoma State, but are only 135 points out of second place. The top two teams in the region will qualify for nationals.

On the men’s side in the region, Daniel Reed is leading the team roping heeling standings, while teammate Ryan Von Ahn is third on the heading side.

Both placed at Northwestern last week, with Von Ahn and his partner winning the team roping title, while Reed and his partner finished fourth.

Jake Pratt did not place in the tie down roping at Northwestern, but still stands second in the region for the year.

On the women’s side, Jessica Birdsong, a freshman from Caddo, had a good weekend and won the All-around title by tying fourth/fifth in the breakaway roping and fifth/sixth in the goat tying. She was the only woman to place in two events at the rodeo.

“She may not have placed that high, but when you’re talking about over 100 girls in the long go in each event, she did really well,” said Coach Fred.

Cami Windmere, another freshman on the women’s team, also scored some points for the Storm in the long go for goat tying, when she tied for third/fourth/fifth with a 7.2 second run.

One more freshman, Austee Anderson, scored points for the Storm in the barrel racing when she placed fourth in the long go with a time of 13.71 seconds and sixth in the short go, giving her a fifth/sixth split overall.

Lacie Booth did not place in the barrel racing at Northwestern, but she still leads the region in the event and she is the only women’s team member near the top in one of the three events.

“Her horse had a little trouble with the small arena at Northwestern,” Fred said. “But she’s really been doing well all year and I expect her to bounce back in our upcoming rodeos.”