Make no bones about it: The Three Rivers College rodeo coaches know how their bread has been buttered this fall semester. Chad Phipps’ team has battled in multiple events with numerous four-year programs, and he has taken the approach of the team standings are secondary to the individual accomplishment. The past weekend at the Murray State University rodeo, Colten Mitteis took fifth place overall in the bareback riding event as he took fourth in the second round and fifth in the first round to claim his top-five prize.

In addition, Kolby Krieger finished fifth overall in the team roping heading with his partner Latham Dickson. “Colton is getting better, he still has a long way to go and stuff to work on to be up there closer to the top,” Phillips said of his sophomore bareback rider. “It’s pretty stiff competition at the top. He’s a year or two behind (the more experienced riders). He has to work harder to catch up to them. “He’s got some basic stuff to work on. He has to work his free arm and how he approaches how to make riders easier on him and better.” Krieger, who lives in Texas but joins the teams at events as an online student, teamed up with Dickson and the points on heading and heeling go toward the schools the riders represent. “We just need to find him a partner and we may have someone right here,” Phipps said. “If not, we might have to find partners from a different school.

It’s not easy, (Krieger works during the day) ropes at night and tries to do his schoolwork when he can. He will drive up from rodeos and go to the college rodeo and compete. He is a really talented roper and makes a lot of money during the week going to jackpot ropings and stuff like that. “They were 5.4 in the long round which is really fast, and they won at the rodeo at SIU. In the short round, if they would have roped two feet they would have definitely won by far.” As far as the team standings go, Phipps only has his eye on the national finals in June in Casper. “I love the team aspect of it, but when we go up against universities with 60 people and yes, we all have six boys and four girls to compete, but they are way more in-depth than we are,” Phipps said. “I am not saying we can’t get there, because we should have a huge, talented team next year. “I haven’t been home because I have been at a recruiting rodeo every week since my own rodeo (in early October).”

Overall, Phipps rates the fall experience as “We’re learning.” “If we aren’t winning, we’re learning,” Phipps said. “We have some kids who haven’t competed at their full potential. College rodeo is a lot different than others because of the pressure – we only have five for the fall and five for the spring. You have to deal with the pressure and it’s a good learning experience.” Phipps said Krieger may have the best chance at a run at the national finals in team roping depending on his partner. “There is no magic pill you can take to be successful,” Phipps said. “You have to work hard at it and they have been putting the work in.” The Raiders return March 16- 18 for the East Mississippi CC Rodeo.

Alan Dale - Daily American Republic