UW Rodeo Teams Second at EWC Competition

Both University of Wyoming rodeo teams were just a few points out of a second consecutive weekend sweep, finishing as runners-up at the Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) competition in Torrington.

The Cowboys were second to Gillette College over the weekend by just 10 points, placing behind front-running Gillette College’s 570 points. Third went to the Central Wyoming College club with 415 points.

Gillette College continued its Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) winning ways by totaling 320 points at EWC, while the UW Cowgirls trailed just 20 points behind the Pronghorns. Chadron State College (CSC) came in third with 190 points.

“Our students gave a very strong effort this past weekend,” says UW head Coach Seth Glause. “They competed at a high level and came away with four individual titles. We needed a consistent effort from both teams to keep us in contention for the College National Finals Rodeo, and that is exactly what we were able to accomplish.”

A pair of team members -- who recorded individual wins in their specialty events -- led the Cowboys’ six-man points team. Both Colton Farrow and Rhett Witt recorded trifectas -- winning both the long and short rounds, while taking the average.

Farrow, of Greybull, had his best showing of the five-rodeo spring season in bareback riding, scoring 78 and 76 points on two head. On the other end of the arena, Witt, of Valentine, Neb., opened with a 4.2 in steer wrestling and was even better in the short go, bulldogging his steer in four seconds. He also added team points in team roping with UW partner Hadley Furnival, from Casper.

The Cowboys also received scoring from Bodie Mattson, of Sturgis, S.D., who was fourth in team roping with Pokes heeler Troupe Coors, from Loveland, Colo. Dixon Tattrie, from Youngstown, Alberta, Canada, was fifth in the saddle bronc average; and Rio Nutter, of Rapid City, S.D., added points in steer wrestling.

Sam Gallagher, from Brighton, Colo., won the all-around, and Witt was the reserve champion.

Several Cowboys, not selected for the weekend points team, also had individual success.

Gallagher won the team roping competition with Trevor Sorge, of Casper College, and also was third in steer wrestling. Jaxson Mirabal, from Magdalena, N.M., placed sixth in the tie down roping average; and Veteran’s Bodie Herring and heeler Kash Reynolds, from Casper College, were the team roping runners-up.

The second-place finish did not hurt the Cowboys’ standing in the overall CRMR team race. The UW men now have 3,670 points, widening their regional lead over Casper College, which has 3,163.33 points, while the Pronghorns have 2,388.33. The top two teams in the CRMR earn automatic bids to this summer’s college finals in Casper.

Colman, S.D., Cowgirl Josie Mousel was the UW women’s top point producer when she opened with the top time in breakaway roping. She split third place in the short go and won the average to score more than half of the Cowgirls’ team points. In fact, all of the team points at EWC came in just one event -- breakaway roping.

Rayne Grant, from Wheatland, won the short go round, which enabled her to split second place in the average. The final points came from Riata Day, of Fleming, Colo., who was fifth in the average.

Gillette College holds a steady CRMR lead with 2,918.30 points with three rodeos remaining on the spring schedule. The Cowgirls are next with 2,363.30 points, and sitting third at 965 points is CSC.

Layni Stevens, from St. Lawrence, S.D., won the women’s all-around, and a handful of Cowgirls, not on the weekend points team, also placed in their individual events.

In goat tying, Stevens was the runner-up and teammate Molly Rotenberger, from Ludlow, S.D., finished third. Stevens also placed in breakaway roping, splitting second place; and Merrin Frost, of Baldwin City, Kan., was fourth in barrel racing.

“I am ready for our teams to get back to work this week and have another strong showing at CSU,” Glause says.

The Colorado State University rodeo is Friday-Sunday, April 4-6.