The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association action in the Central Plains Region returns from its month-long hiatus this weekend at Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford.

It’s the first of three straight weekends the cowboys and cowgirls from programs primarily in Oklahoma and Kansas will battle to conclude the 2011-12 season. The Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College men’s team has a stranglehold on the team race with a 1,100-point lead over the No. 2 squad, Western Oklahoma State College; Oklahoma Panhandle State University is in third, less than 140 points behind Western.

The chase for the women’s title is much closer, with Southwestern just ahead of Garden City (Kan.) Community College.

After the trip to Weatherford, the teams will compete at Fort Hays (Kan.) State University and Panhandle State. It should be an exciting race to the finish.