WT Rodeo Athletes Honored at May 3 Banquet

Copy by Chip Chandler, 806-651-2124, cchandler@wtamu.edu

CANYON, Texas — Top rodeo athletes of the past and present were honored May 3 at West Texas A&M University Rodeo’s end-of-year banquet.

Six current students won awards, and several prominent WT Rodeo alums and supporters were inducted into the new WT Rodeo Hall of Fame.

James “Tres” Colvin, a junior agricultural business and economics major from Uvalde, was named MVP for the men’s team, and Emma Smith, a graduate student in agriculture from Pleasanton, was named MVP for the women’s team.

Justin Wright, a junior agribusiness major from Walsh, Colorado, and Morgan Vaughn, a graduate student in environmental sciences from Alpine, Wyoming, won the academic excellence awards for the men’s and women’s team, respectively.

Madison Clark, a graduate student in agriculture from Canyon, won the Try Hard Award. Rookie of the Year is Kiley Hargrave-Batten, a freshman equine industry and business major from Trinity.

As announced in April, the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class included the 2006 national championship men’s team; the late Earl Reynolds, who won WT Rodeo’s first individual national championship; former coach Mark Eakin; the late Spicer Gripp; and Matt Collier of Top of Texas Welding.

Promoting, recognizing and rewarding excellence is in line with the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: West Texas A&M University students honored at WT Rodeo's end-of-year banquet include, from left, James "Tres" Colvin, Kiley Hargrave-Batten, Morgan Vaughn, Madison Clark, Emma Smith and Justin Wright.

—WT—