Cochise College Rodeo Opens Fall Season Strong at Greenlee County Fair
DUNCAN, AZ – The Cochise College Rodeo Team kicked off the NIRA Grand Canyon Region fall season with an impressive showing at the Greenlee County Fairgrounds on September 19–20. Competing against tough programs like New Mexico State, Central Arizona College, Navajo Technical College, Diné College, University of Arizona, and Mesalands Community College, the Apaches turned in several standout performances across multiple events.
Friday, September 19 – Opening Performance
The first night of competition saw Cochise athletes set the tone for the weekend.
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Steer Wrestling – 3rd-year competitor Taten Erickson clocked a 5.9-second run, placing himself in the mix early.
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Breakaway Roping – Cochise dominated this event with Murphy Gaasch posting a lightning-fast 3.1 seconds, narrowly edging teammate Sealey Bottom at 3.3 seconds.
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Team Roping – Freshman Kylynn Bryson paired with 3rd-year Rylee McRoberts for a 9.2-second run, though a barrier penalty added 10 seconds to their final time.
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Barrel Racing – Sealey Bottom impressed the crowd with a smooth 18.24-second run, earning her an eventual top-three finish in the long round.
Saturday, September 20 – Long Round Action
The second night of rodeo brought even more strong efforts from the Apaches:
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Breakaway Roping – Both Kylynn Bryson and Macie Fowlie recorded identical 3.5-second runs, advancing with confidence in the long round.
Event Results & Placings
Tie Down Roping
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Garrett Berreth – 2nd place (long round) & 5th overall
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Walker Story – 5th place (long round) & 7th overall
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Taten Erickson – 7th place overall
Steer Wrestling
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Taten Erickson – 7th place (long round)
Breakaway Roping
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Murphy Gaasch – 2nd place overall with a 5.4-second average
Goat Tying
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Macie Fowlie – 5th/6th (long round) & 6th overall
Barrel Racing
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Sealey Bottom – 3rd (long round) & 7th overall
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Kylynn Bryson – Top 10 in short round
Looking Ahead
The team will now shift their focus to the Cochise County Fair Rodeo, September 26–27 at the Cochise County Fairgrounds in Douglas, AZ. Main performances begin at 6:00 PM both nights. With momentum from a strong season opener, the Apaches look ready to put on a show for the home crowd.
Scores and placings provided courtesy of the Cochise College Rodeo Program Facebook page.