UW Rodeo Teams Wrap up Fall Season This Weekend

With just one rodeo remaining on the fall schedule, the University of Wyoming Cowboys and Cowgirls attempt to solidify their positions as regional contenders heading into the spring season.

Both clubs were among the top five teams in their respective competitions at last weekend’s Lamar (Colo.) Community College rodeo to remain within striking distance of the overall Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) leaders.

The Pokes and Cowgirls wrap up the fall season at this weekend’s Shawn Dubie Memorial Rodeo at Laramie County Community College.

The Cowboys didn’t hurt their chances at the Lamar Community College (LCC) competition and kept a tight hold of third place in the overall CRMR team standings. Leader Chadron State College (CSC) heads the pack with 1,985 points through four fall rodeos, while Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) is second with 1,667.3 points. UW’s men are 285 points behind the EWC Lancers.

On the women’s side, Northeastern Junior College (Sterling, Colo.) leads the regional standings with 1,183 points, while defending champion Gillette College has scored 1,083.3 points. LCC is third with 868.3 points, and the Cowgirls are just 43 points out of third place.

At last week’s rodeo, EWC won the men’s title with 520 points, followed by Casper College with 480. After two solid weeks, CSC managed to add to its overall lead with 450 third-place points, while the Cowboys scored 370 for fourth place.

UW’s Jacob Smith continued his dominance in bull riding by winning the LCC title. The LaSalle, Colo., sophomore won both rounds of competition to take the average. Smith easily won with two solid rides and now has opened up a nearly 300-point lead in the overall regional standings. He scored nearly half the Pokes’ team points last weekend.

Dillon Simonson placed second in steer wrestling with a second-place finish in the short go. The Purdum, Neb., senior is the region’s top bulldogger through four fall rodeos. Simonson added 60 more team points when he placed sixth in the tie down roping average.

UW’s final 20 points were scored by Casper sophomore Brock Wahlert, who was sixth in the bareback riding average.

For the first time this season, the UW Cowgirls were not among the top three finishers. The UW women placed fourth at the LCC rodeo with 140 points, scoring in just two events.

Kailee Webb was UW’s top finisher in barrel racing. The Isabel, S.D., sophomore put up fifth-place points to score 80 points for the Cowgirls. The final 60 points came from teammate Amelia Anderson in goat tying. The Forsythe, Mont., junior won the opening round, but her short go time wasn’t good enough to place in the overall average.

Northeastern Junior College won last weekend’s rodeo with 280 points, and Sheridan College was second with 240. Gillette College placed third with 230, Otero Junior College had its best finish of the season with 160 points, and the Cowgirls were 40 points back of the Rattlers.

For complete results from the LCC rodeo, click here. Individual and team results through four fall rodeos can be found here.