UW Cowboys Clinch Seventh Straight Regional Title; Cowgirls in Second

Coming off another dominating performance last weekend, the University of Wyoming Cowboys will enter the annual Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo as the seven-time Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) champions.

The Cowboys added Casper College’s Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo to their string of wins during the spring season, winning for the third time in four competitions. The UW men enjoyed a triple-digit win in the final standings with 695 points, compared to runner-up Chadron State Colleges’ 555 points.

That performance assured the Cowboys of their seventh consecutive CRMR team title. The Cowboys have nearly an 800-point lead over Casper College heading into the season finale at UW’s Cliff and Martha Hansen Livestock Arena Friday-Sunday, April 25-27. The Cowboys have 4,895 points through nine combined rodeos in the fall and spring seasons, while the second-place T-Birds have 4,048.33. With just two teams qualifying full teams to this summer’s College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper, the UW men and Casper College are assured automatic bids. The top three competitors in each of the men’s and women’s individual events also earn CNFR bids.

“I was very proud of the overall effort this past weekend. Our men’s team has continued to have a consistent spring campaign,” second-year Coach Seth Glause says. “They have continued to make the most of their chances on Sunday’s short go and put themselves into a great spot heading into our final spring rodeo in two weeks at home.”

Let by Dixon Tattrie, of Youngstown, Alberta, Canada, the Cowboys managed to get scoring from five of their six-man points team. Tattrie did double duty and had his best performance of the season in bull riding where he split the long go and posted the best mark in the short go to win the average. He added points in saddle bronc riding, placing fourth in the average. He also was the rodeo’s reserve all-around champion.

Greybull’s Colton Farrow remained consistent in bareback riding by splitting second and third in the average. Also scoring in triple digits for the Cowboys were Baker, Mont., steer wrestler Jacob Wang, who bulldogged his way to second in the average; and David Gallagher, of Brighton, Colo., placed third in the tie down roping average. Final points came from Bodie Mattson, of Sturgis, S.D., and UW heeler Troupe Coors, of Loveland, Colo., in team roping, where the pair finished sixth in the average.

“Colton, Jacob and the team ropers -- Bodie and Troupe -- added points to give themselves a great opportunity to extend their regional leads and a chance at individual regional titles,” Glause says.

As for the UW women, the Cowgirls will end the year as the CRMR runners-up for the third consecutive season. With just UW’s home rodeo left, season-long leader Gillette College stretched its lead over the Cowgirls with second place at Casper with 320 points, while the Laramie County Community College women won the latest competition with 355 points. The Cowgirls were a distant fifth with 190 points.

Gillette College and the UW women will both send full teams to this summer’s CNFR in Casper. With just one rodeo remaining in the season, the Pronghorns have 3,508.3 total points, while the Cowgirls have posted 3,033.3.

All of the women’s team points came in just one event at last weekend’s rodeo -- breakaway roping. Landry Haugen, of Sturgis, S.D., led a trio of Cowgirls when she split second and third place in the average; and in fourth place was teammate Riata Day, from Fleming, Colo. Rounding out the scoring for the UW women was Josie Mousel, of Elbert, Colo., who was sixth in the average.

“It was a bit of a tougher weekend, but the ladies team capitalized on their opportunities in the short go,” Glause says. “We will need a big home rodeo from all of our ladies, as several of the events will come down to Sunday. We have several athletes who are in the top three in each event and several who are on the outside looking in. It will be an exciting close to the year.”

A handful of UW competitors, not selected for the four-member women’s points team in Casper, also did well over the weekend.

Wilson’s Hailey Hardeman was the top breakaway roper; Makenzi Scott, of Rock Springs, was third in barrel racing; teammate Merrin Frost, of Baldwin City, Kan., was fifth in the average; and Gillette’s RaeLee Caldwell placed sixth in goat tying.

For more information about the Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo, including times and ticket prices, visit https://gowyo.evenue.net/events/RD.