UW Rodeo Teams Open Spring Season in a Big Way

Both University of Wyoming rodeo teams opened the spring season last weekend by dominating their respective divisions at Gillette College.

The Cowboys stretched their overall Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) lead over Casper College by accumulating 640 points, while the T-Birds had 365 to place third. Central Wyoming College took second to the UW men with 395 points.

The Cowgirls were just as impressive in stopping season-long leader Gillette College’s momentum, scoring 520 points, while the host Pronghorns notched 170, cutting into Gillette College’s overall CRMR lead. Laramie County Community College (LCCC) was second in Gillette with 425 points.

“I’m very proud of the way our teams showed up to compete,” UW head Coach Seth Glause says. “They showed they were prepared and ready to have a strong spring season.”

He says one of the best outcomes was that all of the men and women’s points team members contributed to the overall scoring.

“It’s always great to get team wins,” he adds. “We are going to enjoy this and come back in two weeks and get ready to do it again at Torrington.” Eastern Wyoming College hosts the next CRMR event Friday-Sunday, March 28-30.

Led by the all-around performance of Bodie Mattson, from Sturgis, S.D., the Cowboys received scoring from all six points team members. Mattson combined with teammate Troupe Coors, from Loveland, Colo., to win the short go and the overall team roping average. Mattson also was third in both rounds of tie down roping to place third in the average.

Other team scoring came from a trio of steer wrestlers: Rhett Witt, of Valentine, Neb., was the runner-up; Rio Nutter, from Rapid City, S.D., placed fourth; and Jacob Wang, of Baker, Mont., added sixth-place points after winning the short go. Nutter also added team roping points with heeler Coy Johnson, of Gillette. Dixon Tattrie of Youngstown, Alberta, Canada, rode to fourth in the saddle bronc riding average; and Greybull’s Colton Farrow split sixth place in the bareback riding average.

UW had several individuals, not on the six-man points team, who also placed during the weekend competition: Stefan Tonita, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, was the bull riding runner-up; Brighton, Colo., brothers David and Sam Gallagher were third and fifth, respectively, in steer wrestling; and Sam Gallagher combined with heeler Trevor Sorge, of Gillette College, to place sixth in team roping.

The Cowboys opened up their overall CRMR lead over Casper College. UW has 3,110 points through six rodeos, while the T-Birds are next with 2,798.33 points and Gillette College is third at 1,818.33.

The Cowgirls also had the all-around champion when Landry Haugen of Rapid, City, S.D., placed in all three women’s events. She won the breakaway roping competition; was fourth in goat tying; and took fifth in barrel racing.

Teammate Riata Day, of Fleming, Colo., dominated goat tying, sweeping both rounds of competition to take the average. Josie Mousel, of, Colman, S.D.; was sixth in the goat tying average; and Wheatland’s Rayne Grant was the barrel racing average’s sixth-place winner.

UW had several individuals, not on the four-member women’s points team, also place during the weekend competition: Rock Springs’ Makenzi Scott was the barrel racing runner-up; Molly Rotenberger, of Ludlow, S.D., who was the reserve all-around champion, was fourth in barrel racing; and teammate Emme Norsworthy was one place back. Rotenberger also took second in the goat tying average, and a pair of Cowgirls placed in breakaway roping: Buffalo’s Jordyn McNamee was fourth, and Hadley Furnival, of Casper, took sixth.

Season-long CRMR leader Gillette College has 2,598.30 total team points, but the Cowgirls sliced into the Pronghorns’ lead and now have 2,063.30 points. LCCC is a distant third with 813 points.