LIVINGSTON – West Alabama, Heather McLaughlin, finished fifth in the nation in goat tying at the 2021 College National Finals Rodeo.

“Heather laid it all on the line,” UWA head rodeo coach Daniel Poole said. “She was competing against the best in the country and proved that she belongs in that category as well.”

McLaughlin split third with Maddee Doerr from Cochise College in goat tying with a mark of 6.8 in the championship round.

McLaughlin’s mark in the first go was 7.3. She then followed with a 7.2 mark in the second go, and then placed second with a mark of 6.4 in the third go.

“Her first two runs were good, but she had a couple bobbles,” Poole said. “She knew that she had to be fast on her third run to stand a chance at the championship round.”

Sheyenne Anderson from Missouri Valley College won the event with a mark of 6.2. Following Anderson was Jill Donnelly with a score of 6.5.

McLaughlin also competed in breakaway roping.

“She roped her first two in the breakaway round but missed her third one which took her out of it,” Poole said.

“We know what we need to improve on and the new season is just around the corner. It’s time to get to work,” Poole said.

Final Goat Tying Results

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LIVINGSTON – Heather McLaughlin will represent the University of West Alabama Tiger Wranglers at the 2021 College National Finals Rodeo that begins Saturday and runs through June 19 at the Casper Events Center in Casper, Wyoming.

McLaughlin qualified for nationals as the reserve champion in All-Around for the Ozark Region. As the reserve champion, McLaughlin is able to compete in two events at nationals. She will be competing in breakaway roping and goat tying at the CNFR.

“Heather is mentally tough,” UWA head rodeo coach Daniel Poole said. “The distractions of the national finals will not bother her. She has practiced nearly every day since school got out and will go into the finals with the same game plan that got her there.”

All-Around Cowgirl is the cowgirl that accumulates the most points while competing in at least two different events throughout the regional regular season. The wranglers with the top 10 aggregate times after three rounds at the CNFR will compete in the championship round Saturday night, June 19.

There are 11 regions participating at nationals, and all the CNFR qualifiers will compete in three rounds. McLaughlin will compete in breakaway roping Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Goat tying will be Monday, Tuesday, and Friday.

“Being that she is competing in two events, she will stand a good chance at a national title and an all-around national title,” Poole said.

The CNFR will air on ESPN3 Tuesday, June 15 through Saturday, June 19. ESPN3 is available by using the ESPN App or by going to ESPN.com.

The rodeo performances will stream live and replay the following day. ESPNU will also be producing two programs to air later in the summer that will feature interviews, rodeo highlights and the crowning of national champions.

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SIKESTON, Mo. – Heather McLaughlin won the goat tying competition and Aldyn Ashton was third in breakaway roping to lead the University of West Alabama women’s rodeo team to a first place finish in the Three Rivers College Championship College Rodeo that ended Saturday at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds.

Trevor Colby won the calf roping competition as the UWA men finished fifth with 180 points. Missouri Valley compiled 695 points to win the men’s side, followed by Tennessee-Martin with 665, East Mississippi Community College with 650, Three Rivers with 240 and UWA to round out the top five.

The West Alabama women put together 240 points for their first win of the fall season. Southern Arkansas was second with 220, followed by EMCC with 200, Missouri Valley with 145 and UARM with 100 to round out the top five.

McLaughlin finished with a 14.8 average to win goat tying. Ashton’s third place finish was the result of an 8.7 average in breakaway roping.

Sparked by a second go-round best of 10.1 Colby won calf roping with a 21.3 average. Calf ropers Blayne Saine and Ryder Ladner were fifth and sixth, respectively.

The Tiger Wranglers get back to the arena at the Southern Arkansas Rodeo Oct. 29-31.

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