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Marvin Alderman

Marvelous Marvin wowed the crowd.

"Marvelous" Marvin Alderman wowed the crowd and the judges at the South West Texas Junior College Rodeo Oct. 8-9 in Uvalde.

Competing in his specialty event, Bareback Riding, Marvin scored a whopping 83 points to out distance his nearest competitor by 9 points. The early season victory has moved the freshman cowboy into contention for a Southern Region Championship.

According to Panola College Rodeo coach, Travis Adams, Marvin is the best he's seen at this level since 2007 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association national Bareback Riding champion, Tilden Hooper, who also attended Panola College. Adams went on to say, "if Marvin continues to draw good horses and stay healthy, the sky's the limit." Alderman, along with the rest of the Panola rodeo team, will compete at the McNeese State University college rodeo on Oct. 29-30 in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

On another note, Panola College Bull Rider, Chandler Bownds competed in Kansas City, Missouri at the Championship Bull Riding world finals Oct. 8-9. Bownds scored 90.5 points on a bull named Little White Out to earn the second highest score of the event. Congratulations Chandler.