Emily Kucera
Special to Mustang News
The Cal Poly rodeo team was on its A-game at the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s West Coast Regional Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas on April 26-27. Their victories qualified the team for the College National Finals Rodeo on June 15-21 in Casper, Wyo.
Five male and four female Cal Poly students will compete at the College National Finals Rodeo in June, according to a press release from Haley Marconett, director of communications for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.
“We have amazing talent on the team this year, and I couldn’t be more proud of the hard work and dedication they’ve demonstrated throughout the season,” Cal Poly rodeo coach Ben Londo said in the press release.
Cal Poly’s men’s rodeo team is in first place in the West Coast Region, and the women’s team is in second place.
Brothers Taylor Santos-Karney, a freshman, and Lane Santos-Karney, a junior, won big at the regional finals. They are in first and second place, respectively, in the men’s all-around division.
“I’m going to say that neither of us would probably be where we’re at without the other one,” Lane Santos-Karney said. “So in that sense, we push each other each other, but when he wins, I’m just as happy as if I win. And I having a feeling we’d tie for first every time if we could.”
Brooke Hirschy is in second place in the women’s all-around division. A number of other Cal Poly students are also ranked in individual events, according to the press release.
Londo, a Cal Poly graduate in his first year as the rodeo team’s coach, was also named Coach of the Year for the West Coast Region.