PRCC set to field rodeo team this fall
Pearl River Community College will have a rodeo team in the 2016-17 school year.
The PRCC Board of Trustees added rodeo earlier this month. East Mississippi Community College and Northwest Community College are the only state junior colleges with rodeo programs. Mississippi State also has a rodeo team.
Pearl River will be a member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, the sanctioning body.
Pearl River, East Mississippi, Northwest, Mississippi State, Michigan State, Missouri Valley, Southern Arkansas, Three Rivers, Cossatot (Ark.) Community College, Troy University and Arkansas-Monticello are part of the Ozark Region.
“The program provides an opportunity to reach out to a variety of students in our area,” PRCC Vice President Adam Breerwood said in a press release. “People are excited about this. We have donations coming in from all over.”
Robbie Shaw will be the PRCC coach. Events include bareback riding, saddleback riding, bullriding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping, barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping and goat tying.
“I believe we will be very competitive from the get-go,” Shaw said. “We have a lot of kids who want to stay home and compete in rodeo at the college level.”
Hancock and Poplarville lead a small group of state and Coast high schools with rodeo teams. Pearl River and Jackson counties both have rodeo talent.
It’s a good feeling to be able to stay in your comfort zone and still be able to get the college experience right at home. I was dreading having to move off into another territory that I’m not familiar with. It’s a cool feeling to not only be able to stay at home, but being on PRCC’s first rodeo team.
Ryder Ladner
Hancock’s Ryder Ladner, considered the Coast’s top prep rodeo competitor, is going to Pearl River Community College. He is a two-time winner of the Mississippi Sportsmanship Award.
Hancock’s Andrew Burks and Poplarville’s Chelsey Johnson are also on the PRCC squad.
“It’s a good feeling to be able to stay in your comfort zone and still be able to get the college experience right at home,” Ladner said. “I was dreading having to move off into another territory that I’m not familiar with. It’s a cool feeling to not only be able to stay at home, but being on PRCC’s first rodeo team.”
Led by Poplarville’s Marcus Theriot, East Mississippi finished fifth at the College National Finals Rodeo last week in Casper, Wyoming.
Theriot, a freshman, won the all-around national championship and tie-down roping title. Two years ago, Theriot won the 2014 National High School Finals Rodeo all-around cowboy title.
Theriot is the son of Herbert Theriot, the 1994 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association tie-down roping champion.
James Jones: 228-896-2320, @_jkjones
Pearl River Community College rodeo team
Key members: Ryder Ladner, Chelsey Johnson and Andrew Burks
Note: Season consists of five rodeos in fall and five in spring
This story was originally published June 25, 2016 at 12:00 PM with the headline "PRCC set to field rodeo team this fall."