PORTALES, N.M. – Former Eastern New Mexico student-athletes Logan Medlin and Levi Lord have qualified to compete at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo to be held inside Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on Dec. 3-12.

Medlin and Lord both earned enough money throughout the 2020 PRCA Rodeo schedule to finish inside the top-15 of the Team Roping event, both as heelers, in order to qualify for the season-ending championship event. The National Finals Rodeo has long been considered the premier rodeo event in the world, and showcases the top-15 contestants from each event in 10 rounds over the course of 10 consecutive days.

Medlin competed on the Eastern New Mexico rodeo team from 2010-14 and was a two-time Collegiate National Finals Rodeo Champion in the Team Roping event. Originally from Tatum, N.M., Medlin defended his 2013 CNFR Title alongside partner Billy Bob Brown from Tarleton State in 2014 with an outstanding performance as the two finished the four rounds with a total time of 26.0 seconds, while no other pair finished the event in less than 30 seconds.

He was named the 2014 Male Greatest Greyhound after his two national championship performances and has continued that success into his professional rodeo career. Medlin will be making his first appearance at the National Finals Rodeo following quality campaigns in 2018 and 2019 that saw the Eastern New Mexico graduate finish the year with $54,218 and $51,674 in yearly earnings.

He alongside his partner Charly Crawford, who will be making his 11th appearance at the National Finals Rodeo and is considered by many to be an all-time great header in the team roping event, will enter the National Finals Rodeo in ninth place.
Lord competed for the Greyhounds in 2015, qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo, and will also be making his first National Finals Rodeo appearance this December. Lord and his partner Ryan Wright from Tarleton State teamed up at the College National Finals for the first time all season and finished in 23rd place in the event.

The Sturgis, N.D. native has enjoyed a breakout 2020 campaign and will enter the National Finals Rodeo in 12th place with $51,890 in yearly earnings thus far.

Medlin and Lord will have 10 rounds beginning on Dec. 3 to increase their earnings with the hopes of climbing the world rankings throughout the week. Joseph Harrison of Roff, Okla. currently sits in the number one heeler spot in the team roping event with $70,299 in earnings entering the NFR.

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