CMU rodeo scholarship event exceeds expectations

Over 100 barrel racers came out to Ray Clinton Park on Friday night to support rodeo scholarships for Central Methodist University in Fayette.

The event, which raised over $2,000, served as a fundraiser for the program, which is being started this fall semester. The scholarships will go to students who are part of the program.

Amanda Harper-Phipps of Fairdealing, who is the CMU rodeo coach, helped organize the barrel racing and said she’d like to see it become an annual event or even more frequently than once a year.

Remmie Adams and her horse Firecracker go around barrel No. 2 at the barrel racing competition Friday night. DAR/Michael Shine

“We’re just trying to kick it off with an event to show that we’re really trying to make it a good program,” she said.

At the race itself, there were nine riders in the peewee competition and 118 in the open. Prior to the competition, Phipps said she was hoping to have 100 people register. On Thursday afternoon, she had 50 people who pre-registered, but competitors were not required to pre-register. Additionally, the event made more money than Phipps originally expected.

“I would just be happy with anything, to be honest with you,” she said. “Just so we can get our foot in the ground and get it taken off pretty good. I have big goals. I would hope to make several hundred dollars on it to put in a scholarship fund for our up and coming students.”

Jaylee Hollis rides her horse Apache during the competition Friday. Hollis rode twice as part of the peewee competition, the other time being with her horse Galla.DAR/Michael Shine

Phipps was hired to be the coach for the new rodeo program at CMU. Her husband is the rodeo coach at Three Rivers College and when the two colleges met to discuss offering four-year degree programs at TRC, CMU provost Dr. Rita Gulstad visited the TRC rodeo stables, which shares land with Phipps’ home.

CMU had been talking about starting a rodeo program before then, but the partnership with TRC will be able to lend practice area to the program and Phipps was offered the position of coach in January.

She’s been working on planning this competition for some time. She said there used to be a barrel racing competition here, but it stopped several years ago so she wanted to see if people would be interested in getting one going again.

Mandy Wilson and her horse Sam’s Encore go around barrel No. 1 at the barrel race competition Friday night. DAR/Michael Shine

“One of my friends has a barrel racing production company and what they do is they put on barrel races throughout Southeast Missouri,” she said. “We did a poll on Facebook. There used to be a barrel racing event here every year and it got to be pretty big. So we put a poll out on Facebook just to see if people might be interested in making it happen again. They were. So we decided to put one on.”

Phipps said she’s thankful for the city of Poplar Bluff and the fire department for helping to keep the arena watered for the racers. Additionally, MaGee Farm Equipment sponsored $1,500 of added money and provided a tractor to help drag the arena between competitors, which needs to be done for safety.

“It went great, exceeding my expectations especially for a Friday night event,” she said. “I am beyond happy … I am so thankful for everyone chipping in to help. It’s amazing how our community comes together so well to help with an event like this.”

Friday’s barrel racing event started with Aubrey Sullivan, 2019 Miss Teen Rodeo Missouri, carrying the flag around the arena during the pledge and national anthem. DAR/Michael Shine