Just when it appears the University of Wyoming women's rodeo team can't get any better, they go out and score a school-record 780 points to dominate the weekend Colorado State University rodeo in Fort Collins.
It's the second time the Cowgirls have broken the 700-point plateau during a Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR)rodeo. Last weekend the Cowgirls dominated all three women's events to score an unbelievable 520-point victory against runner-up Central Wyoming College (CWC).
For the season, the Cowgirls, who are also making a run at taking the lead in the national points standings, own nearly a 3,000-point CRMR lead over second-place Gillette College.
At the CSU rodeo, the Cowgirls took first place in just one of the three women's events, but scored heavily in all of them. How dominate was the team's performance? The Cowgirls' three seniors -- Nikki Steffes, Sarah Mulholland and TaNaye Carroll finished 1-2-3 in the all-around competition, meaning they each scored points in more than one event.
The Cowgirls scored a whopping 370 points in goat tying alone. Mulholland, a nursing major from Richland Center, Wis., was second in the short go and was the overall runner-up in the average. Carroll, kinesiology, La Junta, Colo., added third-place points in the short go and was fourth in the average.
The team then added 270 more points in breakaway roping when Mulholland split the average, while Carroll placed third.
Steffes, the national all-around points leader and overall regional leader, was the barrel racing runner-up. She also added second-place points in the championship round and scored in goat tying.
Besides UW's and CWC's points for the CSU rodeo, third place went to Gillette College (GC) with 115; CSU scored 95; Sheridan College (SC) 65; Lamar Community College (LCC) and Casper College (CC) both had 60; Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) 40; and Chadron State College (CSC) and Laramie County Community College (LCCC) both scored 20.
The UW men continued to maintain second place in the overall regional standings after finishing as the runners-up to the leading CWC men's team. Only the top two men's and women's teams advance to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) this summer in Casper.
The Rustlers maintained their CRMR lead over the Cowboys, who are only 270 points back. UW widened the gap against third-place Gillette College, holding a 690-point advantage.
CWC scored 545 points at the CSU rodeo, while the Cowboys were just 25 points back. CC was third with 450; EWC scored 240; LCC and Northeastern Junior College 210; CSC 155; LCCC 80; GC 65; and SC 60.
Jason Hubbard, an agriculture senior from Wheatland, won the tie down roping competition, winning the opening round and placing second in the short go. Another Wyoming native, Gillette animal science sophomore Merritt Smith, placed third in the bronc riding competition after winning the long go.
Two of their teammates added to the Cowboys' point production.
Tyler Viles, finance senior from Cody, and partner Jared Bilby of EWC, were second in the opening round, the short go and in the average. Bucky Dickson, kinesiology sophomore from Sequim, Wash., placed sixth in the bareback riding average.
Official individual place winners in the average were unavailable.
No rodeo is planned Easter weekend, and CRMR teams are back in action at the annual Ropin' and Riggin' Days April 17-19 in Casper.
Posted on Tuesday, April 07, 2009