Proud Sponsor of UTM Rodeo - UTM Sports

Nashville businessman Irby Simpkinsmade a major contribution to the rodeoscholarship fund, donating $10,000 overa 10-year period to assist team membersin financing their educations.• The EightiesCommunity support reached a peak in1980 with the implementation of MartinRodeo and Roundup Days, a week ofspecial events and activities coordinatedby the newly formed Rodeo BoosterClub. Thousands of Northwest Tennesseeresidents and rodeo enthusiasts cameto enjoy the first community barbeque.The annual Rodeo and Roundup Daysevents have grown to a week-long eventwith a prayer breakfast, a Miss RodeoRoundup contest, various types of musicalentertainment, a golf tournament, aparade, and dances. All of the events noware attended by thousands of participantsand spectators.UT Martin cowboys returned to thewinning track by capturing the 1980 OzarkRegion championship. Cliff Goodrichwon the regional all-around title, andwas the Ozark’s best calf roper. GeorgeMesimer rode to a second-place finish inthe bareback competition. At Bozeman,UT Martin’s team rode to a sixth-placenational finish.UTM repeated as Ozark champions in1981, and Mesimer proved he was thebest cowboy in the region by winningchampionships in bareback riding, saddlebronc riding, and bull riding. Mesimer alsocaptured the Ozark’s All-Around Cowboytitle for the second consecutive year.(Cliff) Goodrich was a repeat championin the regional calf roping competition.At the NIRA finals, Mesimer finishedsecond in bareback riding and bull riding,accumulating enough points to win UTM’sthird national All-Around title. As a team,UTM finished fifth, becoming the first teamto place fifth or higher three or more timesin the national championship standings.UTM cowboys placed second in theOzark Region in 1982. John Mark Pickettwas the Ozark’s best steer wrestler, andBobby Gornto was the top bull rider. InBozeman, the team finished tenth in thenational standings, and Mark Curry wasthe nation’s reserve champion calf roper.In 1983, UTM won the Ozark Regionand was again strongly represented atBozeman. Mike Merchant won the regionalbronc riding title and finished second inthe nation. The team again finished inthe top 20 at the College National FinalsRodeo (CNFR).The 1984 rodeo served as theinaugural event for the dedication of theWest Tennessee Agricultural Pavilion inMay. The ag pavilion is the first building ofits type to be constructed and operatedas such in the University of Tennesseesystem. The permanent home of the UTMrodeo has hosted tens of thousandsof rodeo fans during the Rodeo andRoundup Days activities since thededication. Being the only college rodeoteam in the state of Tennessee, the areais very proud to host the largest OzarkRegion rodeo and the greatest collegerodeo east of the Mississippi River.In 1985, the UTM men’s rodeo teamwon the Ozark Region and placed thirdin the nation. The women’s team placedsecond in the Ozark Region. (Mike)Merchant won the regional saddle broncriding, as well as the national saddlebronc riding title.The UTM rodeo team won back-to-backOzark Region championships in 1986 and87, and never lost a regional rodeo. The1987 rodeo was called the “Governor’sRodeo” in honor of Tennessee Gov. NedRay McWherter, the first governor fromWeakley County and an avid supporter ofthe UTM rodeo team. In 1987, UTM’s CodyMatthews won the national steer wrestlingchampionship.In 1988, celebrating 20 years of rodeo,UTM once again went undefeated in theOzark Region with Robbie Phillips winningthe regional all-around, Tommy Carglefinishing second and Ricky Hyde finishingthird. Paul Johnson won the bull riding,Hyde won the calf roping and Cargle wonthe steer wrestling. The annual rodeo wasdedicated to retiring Congressman EdJones. Hyde went on to finish second inthe nation in calf roping.UTM claimed the Ozark Region title in1989. (Ricky) Hyde captured the OzarkRegion calf roping and team roping titles.The 1989 rodeo was dedicated to StateSen. Milton Hamilton from Union City.• The NinetiesIn 1990, the UTM men’s team won theOzark Region. Donnie Crawford won theregional team roping event and RandyRunion was second in the regionalall-around competition. The rodeo wasdedicated to Congressman John Tanner.Tony Coleman became the first full-timecoach rodeo coach in 1991. The men’steam won nine of the 10 rodeos in theregion, capturing the regional crown. Theyalso picked up five individual titles. StateRep. C. Ray Davis was honored at the1991 rodeo.The men’s team finished second in the1992 regional competition, making thefirst time in 10 years UTM had failed towin the Ozark Region. Carl Albert StateCollege of Poteau, Okla., won the OzarkRegion by 25 points. The women’s teamsaw its best finish in five years with asecond-place finish in the Ozark Region.UTM sent 11 contestants to the finals inBozeman, Mont. The men’s team finishedtied for 12th place but the women’s teamfinished third in the nation, its highestfinish ever. Merrie Martin, a junior, finishedfourth in the nation in breakaway ropingand another junior, Kim McKee, won thebarrel racing average at CNFR. The 24thAnnual UT Martin Rodeo was dedicatedto Alvin D. Escue from Milan, Tenn., amember of the first UTM rodeo team.In 1993, the men’s team was backon track with a first-place finish in theOzark Region. The women’s team finishedsecond behind Southern Arkansas.Frank Graves was the Ozark Region allaroundand calf roping champion. DavidRickman was the saddle bronc champion,while Bret Gould was the team ropingchampion. Staci Patterson was the barrelracing champion and Leigh Rawls was thegoat tying champion. Graves and Gouldwon the CNFR team roping. The men’steam tied for ninth in the nation, while thewomen’s team tied for eighth.The UTM cowboys and cowgirls finishedsecond to the Southern Arkansas teamsin the 1994 Ozark Region standings.15