Cal Poly rodeo team advances to national finals
Livermore resident Grant Peterson places second in steer wrestling
–Eleven members of Cal Poly’s Rodeo Team qualified to compete in the 72nd annual College National Finals Rodeo held June 11-19 in Casper, Wyo., where one student-athlete came away with a second-place win: Grant Peterson, a second-year agricultural systems management major, placed second in the steer wrestling event.
Grant Peterson, second place in steer wrestling
The student-athletes who advanced to the finals are: Peterson, of Livermore, and regional champion Ethan Usher, of Santa Ynez, in steer wrestling; Maggie Usher, of Santa Ynez and Hannah Steagall, of Sanger, in goat tying; Karson Mebane, of Bakersfield and Quintin McWhorter, of San Luis Obispo in saddle bronc riding; Cole Tart, of San Luis Obispo in bareback riding; Kathryn Varian, of Parkfield and Kelsey Cadwell, of Oakdale, in barrel racing; Jason Andersen, of Salinas, in tie-down roping; and Tyree Cochrane, of San Luis Obispo in team roping.
“I’m extremely proud of these athletes, who faced a unique and difficult qualifying season due to COVID-19 impacts and competed as individuals at eight rodeos throughout California and Nevada to advance to the finals,” said Cal Poly Rodeo Coach Ben Londo.
Cal Poly Rodeo has a strong, successful history. The program sent six men to the inaugural College National Finals Rodeo in 1949. Since then, Cal Poly Rodeo’s student-athletes have gone on to win six national championships — more than any other school in the NIRA competition — and 44 national titles. The program is open to all Cal Poly students.
