Northwest Mississippi Community College Rangers

Merrie Carol Martin Butler’s impressive rodeo career began in high school and continued after college.

During high school at Humphreys Academy in Belzoni, Martin qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals (NHSRF) in several categories all four years. She placed in the top 20 in Nationals at NHSRF and in Mississippi finished third in team competition.

At Northwest, Martin placed third in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Ozark Region in breakaway roping during the 1990 season. In 1991, she finished first in breakaway roping in the region and qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), finishing fourth in that category. She was honored at Northwest with the Women’s High Point Award in Rodeo in 1991.

After Northwest, Martin was a member of the rodeo team at The University of Tennessee-Martin. In 1992, she qualified for the CNFR in breakaway roping, barrel racing and women’s rodeo team, finishing third in the nation in breakaway roping while the

women’s team finished third in the nation. In 1993, she qualified for the CNFR in breakaway roping and barrel racing.

After college, Martin continued to compete in rodeos and barrel races with several different wins and placings.