TTU Ranch Horse team reflects on third national win

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The Texas Tech Ranch Horse team is celebrating its third national championship in the National Intercollegiate Ranch and Stock Horse Association.

“Oh my gosh it was awesome,” one team member, Evan Means, said.

These Red Raiders competed in reining, cow, trail and pleasure classes over two days. A junior on the team, Teghan Brooks, said the win is thanks to all the members.

“Then, they take your scores from each show day and calculate them all together to get to overall score,” Brooks said.

The team’s combined score secured the third win and a new stock trailer. The awards didn’t stop there as they managed to corral first in every division.

“We had, I think, a clean sweep across all three divisions which also is a huge thing,” Means said.

One of the riders who came out on top is Brooks. She galloped even further and won the top individual award, which came with a new saddle.

“The Kris Wilson Top Hand award is the most honorable award I think I will ever receive in my life,” Brooks said.

Brooks and her peer Means have been part of all three wins. Means said she’s been happy to ride alongside the next generation of the Ranch Horse team.

“I’ve had a really good opportunity to get to watch all the younger kids kind of come up and go with me, and we’ve got a lot of really good ones coming in also,” Means said.

Those freshmen have some big boots to fill. Trail Townsend said he’s excited and feels the pressure to cowboy up and keep bringing home the trailer.

“You come in and you’re kind of the underdog. You want to do good and keep the tradition alive,” Townsend said.

Means said they won because everyone did their part side by side in the arena.

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