By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
WALLA WALLA, Wash. – The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association has unveiled the draws for the 75th annual College National Finals Rodeo as the six University of Tennessee at Martin participants are set to compete amongst the nation’s best.
The 2023 version of the CNFR will take place on Sunday, June 11 through Saturday, June 17 in Casper, Wyo. The Skyhawk men’s team is ranked seventh nationally and earned a trip to the championship event for the 48th time in the last 49 years. Five UT Martin cowboys and one Skyhawk cowgirl will battle for a national championship amongst a field that includes over 100 universities/colleges and 400-plus contestants.
Making their third career CNFR appearances for UT Martin is defending men’s all-around national champion Cole Walker (tie down roping/team roping with Southern Arkansas’ Logan Graham) and Jesse Keysaer (steer wrestling). Jack Smithson (saddle bronc riding) is making his second straight CNFR appearance while Logan Neal (steer wrestling), Cannon Smith (steer wrestling/team roping alongside Chase Graves from West Alabama) and Savannah Moran (barrel racing) will be making their CNFR debuts.
Smithson will get the Skyhawks started as he will take part in the Sunday 1 p.m. MDT matinee.
Monday’s schedule includes five UT Martin representatives who will compete in slack at 7 a.m. MDT. That list includes Walker (both events), Keysaer, Neal, Smith (both events) and Moran.
Tuesday is shaping up to be the busiest day as all six Skyhawks are scheduled to compete in 11 different rounds. Smithson, Walker (both events), Keysaer, Neal, Smith (both events) and Moran will all take part in the 7 a.m. MDT slack. The trio of Smithson, Smith (steer wrestling) and Moran will return to compete in the performance round that evening at 7 p.m. MDT.
Only Walker (tie down roping) and Neal are scheduled to represent UT Martin during Wednesday’s performance round, which begins at 7 p.m. MDT.
Walker (team roping) and Keysaer will have the third performances in their respective events in Thursday’s 7 p.m. MDT performance round.
On Friday, Smith will compete in the performance round of steer wrestling, which starts at 7 p.m. MDT.
The top 12 competitors from each event will advance to Saturday’s championship finals, which will begin at 7 p.m. MDT.
To view the official position draws and daily order of events for the 2023 CNFR, click here: http://cnfr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CNFR2023-Position-Draw.pdf (Position Draws); http://cnfr.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/CNFR2023-Daily-Event-Order-Summary.pdf (Order of Events). All performance rounds from Tuesday through Saturday will be streamed live on ESPN3 at this link: https://www.espn.com/search/_/appearance/dark/type/upcoming/q/college%20national%20finals%20rodeo.
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information