In this episode of Field Notes: East Texas Agriculture, host Dr. Byron Housewright and Ryan Doerner sit down with ETAMU Rodeo Head Coach Dameon White and Assistant Coach Keely Henry to talk about the growth and success of the East Texas A&M rodeo program. The coaches share their backgrounds in rodeo, how they recruit student-athletes from across the country, and what it takes to build a competitive college team. They also discuss how the program blends traditional rodeo culture with the expectations of a modern university. From the practice pen to the national stage, the ETAMU rodeo team is developing athletes who compete at the highest level.
The conversation also highlights the values that define the program—discipline, teamwork, and academic success. Coach White and Coach Henry explain how rodeo athletes balance the demands of competition with their studies while maintaining a team GPA above 3.3. They also discuss the impact of the university’s new rodeo complex and what it will mean for recruiting, training, and hosting major events in Commerce. For students, producers, and anyone interested in the future of agriculture and rodeo in East Texas, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at a program that’s building champions in the arena and the classroom.
Guests:
Dameon White is the head rodeo coach at East Texas A&M University, where he has spent more than a decade building a nationally competitive program that develops championship-level rodeo athletes while maintaining strong academic performance.
Keely Henry is the assistant rodeo coach at East Texas A&M University and a former ETAMU rodeo athlete and College National Finals qualifier in breakaway roping who now helps recruit and mentor the next generation of rodeo student-athletes.
