On the strength of three top-three individual finishes in various categories, the Texas Tech University Ranch Horse Team capped a successful fall semester by capturing the overall title at the 2016 Stock Horse of Texas (SHOT) World Championships in Abilene.
The Texas Tech Red team easily outpaced Texas A&M by 69 points, 410-341, to win top honors. The Texas Tech Black team finished fourth with 307 points, just five points out of third place. The SHOT show was open to both colleges and individuals from across the state.
“The SHOT world show is a show for everyone involved with SHOT, not just college students like the nationals,” said Ranch Horse Team coach Chance O’Neal. “This is a two-day show where each rider must compete in all four events both days with the average naming the world champion. With Nationals being won by such few points, I was very proud of our team bringing their ‘A’ game and leaving no question as to who the collegiate world champion was.”
The championship followed a successful spring competition schedule as well where the Ranch Horse Team competed in six shows, capturing four championships and two reserve championships. That included the team’s seventh national title at the Collegiate Nationals in Sweetwater in April.
Texas Tech was led by three individuals who each finished in the top three all-around in their respective levels at the SHOT show.
Jayton Baca, a junior from Vega, captured the Non-Pro All-Around title with 140 points. Riding Smart Lil Redman, he finished first in the trail and reining categories, fifth in pleasure riding and eighth in working cow. Morgan Holmes, a sophomore from Sarasota, Florida, for the Texas Tech Black team riding Ivedunitbig, finished sixth in the all-around and was the No. 2 collegiate competitor behind Baca.
Cassidy Coltrain, a senior from Longmont, Colorado, finished fourth in the Limited Non-Pro All-Around category and second among collegiate riders with 184.01 points. Competing for the red team aboard Spoon Shine, she took second in the reining and working cow categories. Ashley Adams, a senior from Lubbock riding Shiners Mighty Mile, finished fifth for the red team and third among collegiate riders. She won the reining category and was seventh in trail riding.
In the Novice category, Chance Campbell, a junior from Sonora, took second place both overall and among collegiate riders with 280 points. He was first in working cow, fourth in reining, ninth in pleasure and 12th in trail while riding A Brownbag Special.
Kameron Buchanan, a senior from Turkey, Texas, was 10th in the Non-Pro all-around aboard Heza Hickory Colonel. Trinity Haggard, a junior from Throckmorton, finished eighth in the Non-Pro all-around riding Purr Cat. Mandy Harris, a senior from Saratoga, Wyoming, tied for 10th in the Novice all-around riding CR Wolfwood.
Other members of the ranch horse team are:
- Mariann Easter, a senior from Wichita Falls
- Emily McCartney, a senior from Throckmorton
- Ryan Cude, a senior from Munday
- Tanner Cadra, a senior from McLean
- Justin Stanton, a senior from Idalou
- Lynn Robinson, a junior from Rosharon
- Lanham Brown, a sophomore from Throckmorton
- Casey Mitchell, a sophomore from Throckmorton
(Press release from Texas Tech University)
