Meged
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 17, 2019
STEPHENVILLE, Texas — Success just seems to follow Haven Meged around.
The Tarleton State University tie-down roper posted a solid 10.3 clocking during Saturday’s championship finals to capture the first-place event buckle at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyo.
In his second appearance at the CNFR after qualifying last year at Western Oklahoma State, he finished with a four-head total time of 36.7 seconds to lead the Tarleton men’s rodeo team to a sixth-place finish.
Meged also is fresh off the tie-down roping title in the National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Kissimmee, Fla., is currently fifth in the PRCA world standings, and leads the PRCA Resistol Rookie of the Year standings for his event.
“Going in, you have to believe in yourself,” he said of his effort at CNFR. “You have to do that to show enough to win first. That was my mindset the whole week.”
Meged, a junior agriculture industries and agencies major from Miles City, Mont., finished the regular season in sixth place in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Southwest Region, claiming top honors at the Sul Ross State University rodeo and at Western Texas College, where he also was the all-around winner.
“He roped great all week,” Tarleton rodeo coach Mark Eakin said of Meged’s championship run through the CNFR. “He is a very focused and goal-minded athlete. He is very talented and we’re very proud of him.”
Tarleton teammate Jhett Trenary finished fourth in team roping in Casper, combining with Dylan Jones of Clarendon College for a four-head total of 34.8 seconds.
Defending bareback champion Tyler Berghuis contributed eighth-place points to the Tarleton cause, accumulating 286 points on four rides, including a 77 Saturday.
Tarleton’s Zach Kraus and South Plains College’s Hayden Cloward were 15th in team roping, and saddle bronc rider Jake Barnes was 16th.
Panola College is the men’s team title winner, gathering 825 points, followed by runner-up Hill College and Clarendon College in third.
The Tarleton women captured third at CNFR behind a fourth-place effort by barrel racer Maddy Dickens. Her 14.20 in the finals capped a four-run, 57.69 effort.
Rickie Engesser added a seventh-place finish in breakaway roping. In goat tying, Mary Risse was 18thand Lariat Larner 22nd.
McNeese State University took the women’s team championship with 462.5 points. College of Southern Idaho was second.
“We are very proud of all our athletes who competed in the CNFR last week,” Eakin said. “We had six in the short go and ended up with one national champion.”
Meged becomes the 28thindividual event champion from Tarleton, including Berghuis last year and 2017 tie-down roper Reid Zapalac.
Tarleton also boasts three previous men’s national team titles and four women’s crowns.
Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven education marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. It offers degree programs to more than 13,000 students at Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online, emphasizing real-world learning experiences that address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, excellence, leadership and service.
Contact: Phil Riddle, News and Information Specialist
817-484-4415
[email protected]
