UW’s Josie Mousel, of Colman, S.D., captures all three legs of her goat during a fall season rodeo. The UW junior is the national goat tying leader and ranks third in total points in the all-around standings. (Kristen Bullard Photo)
When the fall rodeo season ended for the University of Wyoming last October -- and
mid-November nationwide for all National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA)
teams -- the Cowboys and Cowgirls and a pair of UW individuals found themselves among
the national leaders.
At the halfway mark of the 2025-26 season, the Cowgirls are the No. 3 team nationally
in total points with 1,875, trailing only Cal Poly State University (2,125.5), in
San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and Blue Mountain Community College (2,012), in Pendleton,
Ore.
The Cowboys have totaled 2,830 points through five fall rodeos in the Central Rocky
Mountain Region (CRMR), putting the team seventh in the overall NIRA standings. Mid-Plains
Community College, in North Platte, Neb., leads the nation with 5,351 total points,
while Clarendon College, of Clarendon, Texas, is the runner-up with 3,725 points,
and Montana State University, in Bozeman, is next at 3,583.5.
“This fall, I was very pleased with our teams’ performances throughout the semester,
and this is a reflection of our great students and their hard work,” UW Coach Seth
Glause says of his teams’ performances on the national stage. “They make sure they
take advantage of the opportunities in front of them and go out each week and compete
to the best of their abilities.”
Individually, UW Cowgirl Josie Mousel, of Colman, S.D., is the goat tying national
leader and the all-around runner-up in total points. She leads goat tying with 795
points and holds a 270-point lead over Kaylie Garza, of Tarleton State, in Stephenville,
Texas.
Mousel has 1,025 points in the all-around national standings and trails Sloan McFarlane,
of Blue Mountain, who has scored 1,507.5 points.
UW rodeo team member Tate Talkington, of Scottsbluff, Neb., is the nation’s top tie down roper. The junior also is seventh nationally in the all-around standings for individuals scoring points in multiple events. (Kristen Bullard Photo)
UW’s Tate Talkington is the national tie down roping leader after scoring 695 points
at the conclusion of the fall season. The Scottsbluff, Neb., junior has a 125-point
advantage over Cooper Duffiin, of Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah.
Talkington sits seventh nationally in the all-around standings for individuals scoring
points in multiple events. He has picked up 855 points in the first half of the season,
as compared to the 1,700 points scored by Kahiwa Augustiro, of Mid-Plains.
Both Mousel and Talkington lead in their respective CRMR events and the all-around.
“This is a big confidence boost for Josie and Tate. They have worked extremely hard
to get into this position, and they expect to be dominant in their respective events,”
Glause says. “They are both great competitors and have both been to the College National
Finals Rodeo (CNFR). They know what it takes to win and how to be prepared to compete.”
The spring CRMR season picks up in March at the Gillette College rodeo. Both UW teams
lead the region in their respective divisions.
“I thought our students did a great job showing up with a plan and a purpose to compete
last semester. They kept improving and are in a great position for the spring season
to begin,” Glause says. “My expectation for us is to continue to perform at a high
level throughout the spring.”
He says his student-athletes have plenty of opportunities for practice between now
and the spring rodeos for the chance to compete at the CNFR this June in Casper.
“We will make sure we are prepared to give a winning effort each week, starting at the first rodeo in Gillette,” he adds. “To be competitive at the CNFR, we need to continue to do what we have done all season and give our best every time we step into the arena. I look for our students to be prepared and confident once we get to Casper.”
