Three Rivers president defends decision to end rodeo program

FOX23 News at 9 p.m

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. (KBSI) — Three Rivers College President Dr. Wesley Payne is addressing public concerns following the college’s decision to discontinue its intercollegiate rodeo program, saying the move was driven by enrollment and long-term sustainability rather than financial hardship.

In an open letter released Wednesday, Payne said the decision followed extensive discussions between the college’s administration and Board of Trustees after the program repeatedly failed to meet enrollment goals established when it was created.

According to Payne, the rodeo program was intended to be self-sustaining but consistently fell short of enrollment benchmarks despite additional investments, expanded scholarship opportunities and fundraising efforts over the past decade.

Payne said the decision does not affect the college’s Agriculture or Forestry programs, which he said continue to have strong enrollment. He also said the college’s farm in Fairdealing will remain in operation as a hands-on learning facility for agriculture and forestry students and will not be sold.

The partnership with Central Methodist University will also continue. The residence on the farm will be occupied by CMU’s rodeo coach, and the university will continue using the facility.

Payne said every student who enrolled at Three Rivers to compete in rodeo has been contacted individually and offered options to continue both their education and collegiate rodeo career. Students who remain at Three Rivers may continue competing as individuals while receiving previously promised support, including travel assistance, entry fees, livestock boarding and access to the farm. Students wishing to compete on a collegiate team have been offered positions with Central Methodist University’s rodeo program, along with scholarship assistance intended to keep their costs comparable.

The president also addressed criticism over how the decision was made, saying discussions between college leadership and the Board of Trustees followed established governance practices. Because coaching positions are annual appointments, Payne said the decision was implemented through the annual contract process rather than a separate board vote. He added that the former rodeo coach was offered a one-month contract to assist students during the transition but declined.

While acknowledging the program’s success in competition — including numerous National Finals qualifiers and a national bull riding championship in 2022 — Payne said competitive achievements could not offset the program’s inability to consistently reach enrollment targets.

During its history, the rodeo program enrolled 163 student-athletes, including 93 from Missouri and 43 from the college’s taxing district, according to Payne.

Payne also rejected claims that ending the program reflected financial trouble at the college.

“The issue was not whether the College could continue funding the program for another year, but whether it should continue making an exception to standards that have long applied to new academic and athletic programs alike,” Payne wrote.

Payne thanked students, coaches, volunteers, donors and community members for supporting the program over the past decade, saying the decision was made only after careful consideration and reflects the college’s responsibility to focus on its educational mission while managing its resources responsibly.