Legislator seeks $175,000 for college rodeo scholarships, travel and practice support

Senator Owens presented a request for appropriation to support college rodeo teams from multiple Utah institutions, asking the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee to consider $175,000 to underwrite scholarships, travel, practice facilities and other team expenses.

Owens said the funds would be distributed among the programs that host and travel to collegiate rodeos and that last year the teams received $100,000 from the Emergency Action Committee (EAC). Coach Kendra Bagley of Snow College said the funds supported scholarships, travel and some practice facilities and that student athletes—many first‑generation and from rural areas—often rely on fundraising and family support to compete.

Snow College freshman Payton Bennett addressed the committee as a first‑generation student who said rodeo participation helped her continue her education. Coach Bagley told legislators that program costs vary but that a $175,000 appropriation would approximate $25,000 per team if supported for seven teams; the funds would be scaled depending on the number of active teams.

Bagley and Owens noted that many programs lack dedicated practice facilities and that travel costs are driven by hauling animals and equipment to host institutions. They asked the committee to consider the appropriation to help maintain and grow college rodeo participation across Utah’s two‑year and four‑year institutions.

Committee members asked questions about the size and purpose of the request; coaches said institutional support for rodeo varies—some teams receive limited or no institutional funding—and that the requested funds would supplement, not replace, local fundraising and coach contributions.

The request will be considered as part of broader appropriation deliberations; no vote on the RFA occurred during the hearing.