In early September, the University of Wyoming rodeo teams both opened the fall season
with opening-weekend team victories. Six weeks later, both the Cowboys and Cowgirls
ended the first half of the 2025-26 season as the early favorites to capture Central
Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) titles.
The two UW teams managed to win three of five rodeos when the fall portion of the
two-semester season closed last weekend at Laramie County Community College’s (LCCC)
annual Shawn Dubie Memorial Rodeo in Cheyenne.
Just as they opened the season with a team win the second weekend in September, the
Cowboys had a solid final fall rodeo, capturing the team title, while their Cowgirl
counterparts were the runners-up for the second consecutive weekend.
With the spring season scheduled to begin next March in Gillette, the UW men own nearly
an 800-point lead against Sheridan College. The Cowboys have posted 2,830 points during
the five fall rodeos, while the Generals are 795 points back of Coach Seth Glause’s
Cowboys. Gillette College trails both teams in third place with 1,585 points.
On the women’s side, the Cowgirls and Gillette College are the clear leaders, making
it a two-team race going into the five-rodeo spring season. The UW women have 1,875
points, opening a 450-point lead over the Pronghorns, while LCCC trails the two leaders
with 800 points.
All six UW men’s team points members helped boost the Cowboys at LCCC. The Cowboys
topped the LCCC rodeo with 695 points, and Otero College, of LaJunta, Colo., was the
surprise runner-up with 470 points. Casper College broke through in the top three
with 450 points.
Tate Talkington, from Scottsbluff, Neb., led the Pokes, placing second in tie down
roping and returning later to take third in team roping with fellow Cowboy David Gallagher,
of Brighton, Colo. Double event points helped Talkington place second in the all-around.
Gallagher also was the steer wrestling runner-up when he split the short round’s top
time.
Rio Nutter, of Rapid City, S.D., put together two solid rounds of steer wrestling to win the
average. Greybull’s Colton Farrow continued his late-season push to move up the bareback
riding standings by placing as the runner-up in the average. Treg Thorstenson, of Lantry, S.D., was fourth in tie down roping; Sam Gallagher, from Brighton, Colo., scored
points in steer wrestling; and Traven Sharon, from Ordway, Colo., continued to place
in saddle bronc riding when he split fifth in the average.
Two other Cowboys placed in their respective events. Jacob Wang, of Baker, Mont.,
had the third best overall time in steer wrestling, and Wyarno’s Cian Ahern was fourth
in saddle bronc riding.
“Our men’s team performed very well. Every one of our points team members contributed
points on the weekend, which is always great to have that consistency,” Glause says.
“Tate had a great rodeo and finish to the season by placing in the top three in both
of his events, which was a boost to the whole team.”
The Cowgirls were in a tight finish at the end with Gillette College, with the Pronghorns
edging out the UW women for the team title with 390 points, just 20 more than the
Cowgirls. The host LCCC squad was third with 120 points.
A pair of UW team members paved the way for the Cowgirls in Cheyenne, with Landry
Haugen placing high in two events to give her the all-around.
The Sturgis, S.D., Cowgirl won the opening round of barrel racing and had the short
go’s third-best time to give her the win in the average. She added team points in
goat tying, splitting fifth overall.
Josie Mousel, of Colman, S.D., continued to dominate goat tying this fall, winning
her specialty event. She split the opening round’s best time and then produced the
top effort in the short go to take the average.
Three other Cowgirls placed in the average in their respective events. Veteran’s Brenna Herring split second in breakaway roping; Lily Masopus, of Glenrock, combined with Brylee Grubb, from Gillette College, to place sixth in team roping; and Kassidy Dunagan, of Whitehall, Mont., split fifth place in the goat tying average.
“The women’s team continued to be very consistent this fall, which has put themselves
in a dominant position in the region,” Glause says. “Having Landry place in the goats
and win the barrels was a nice boost for the team effort.”
Glause says he was pleased with the fall season, as both the Cowboys and Cowgirls
built solid leads in the regional standings going into the spring season.
“We will continue to work over the off-season to build some confidence when we get to the spring rodeos,” he adds. “We will need to continue to keep our feet on the gas to finish out the season strong.”
