Tierney finishes third in goat tying at national rodeo

Tierney, whose well-known rodeo family lives near Oral, S.D., and is a 2009 graduate of Hot Springs High School, was a picture of consistency at the national rodeo.  Her times in the first and fourth go-rounds were 6.5 seconds, she had a 6.6-second clocking in the second go-round and a 6.4 mark in the third go, giving her a total time of 26.0 seconds.

The goat tying winner is Jordan Thurston-Miller of Gillette College for the second time in her career.  Hayden Segelke of Northeastern Junior College was the runner-up and Chadron State’s Tierney was third.

The other CSC cowgirl in the finals, Shelby Winchell of Scottsbluff, fell while getting off her horse Saturday night, causing her to lose precious seconds, and finished 10th in the standings.

Thurston-Miller, whose family ranches near Lance Creek in northern Niobrara County, Wyo., tied each of her four goats in 6.3 or fewer seconds, including a go-round best of 6.1 seconds Saturday night. Her cumulative time was 24.8 seconds.  She also was the national goat tying champion as a freshman in 2010 and was the runner-up in 2011.

Segelke is this year’s runner-up in 25.7 seconds and Tierney is third with her 26.0 total.  Segelke also finished third in the barrel race at this year’s rodeo.

Winchell, who was tied with Segelke for second place in the standings after three go-rounds, fell as she was leaving her horse in the finals and had a time of 10.5 seconds. Her previous marks were 6.2, 6.7 and 6.2 seconds. She tied for first in both the first and third go-rounds.

Winchell, who was third in the national standings last year when she was attending Eastern Wyoming, has another year of eligibility remaining for Chadron State.