UVSC men's rodeo, currently ranked first in the Rocky Mountain region, will attend the Intercollegiate National Rodeo Championship June 10-18 in Casper, Wyo.

"The team this year is amazing," said Lewis Feild, UVSC rodeo coach. "We have a great group of talented guys."

Competing at the championship will be six UVSC team members: Budd Munns from Hansel Valley, Taylor White from Richfield, Nicholas Rydalch from Stockton, Riley Probst from Heber City, Slade Hughes from Veyo and Lana Bingham from Heber City.

Some events judged in the championship are goat tying, breakaway roping, saddle bronco riding, bareback riding, bull riding, tie down roping and steer roping.

Munns, a 22 year-old senior, is ranked No. 1 for the all-around men's Rocky Mountain region in the 2006-2007 season.

Munns said he learned to ride from his dad and older brother on the family ranch. Through his seven years of riding, Munns has broken 10 bones and torn one of the main ligaments in his knee, which put him out for a year.

"But I still love to ride," he said.

Munns is also ranked No. 1 in the bareback riding competition.

Bingham, a 21 year-old senior, is the only girl on the UVSC team.

"I learned to ride on a pony when I was only 3, so [the rodeo] has really been a lifelong thing," she said.

Bingham now competes in goat tying and barrel racing, for which she practices three hours a day.

Rodeo was the college's first sports team. The team has qualified for and attended the championships since 1966.

In 2002, UVSC came out of the Intercollegiate National Rodeo Championship ranked fourth in the nation.

Copyright Brigham Young University 4 Jun 2007