UW Teams Cruise to Big Wins in Penultimate Rodeo

Coach Seth Glause knows it’s nearly a given, but he’s cautious when declaring championships for both his University of Wyoming rodeo teams heading into the weekend finale.

If there was any doubt, UW’s dominance of the Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days competition last weekend in Casper should signal an eighth consecutive Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) title for the Cowboys and the first in four years for the Cowgirls.

“The teams had a great weekend in Casper. The men’s team had a big weekend, setting them up to win the regional title. And the women’s team also competed well this past weekend,” Glause says. “Our work isn’t done just yet, so we are going to come back this week focused and ready to continue to give a winning effort. We need to continue to do our jobs and be prepared to compete at a high level to close out the season.”

It’s only fitting that the two UW teams close out the crowning moment at home for the annual Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo Friday-Sunday, April 24-26, at the Cliff and Martha Hansen Livestock Teaching Arena. Action starts 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and the championship round is 11 a.m. Sunday.

Cost is $30 for each session, and students will be admitted for $15.

At Casper, the Cowboys put up their highest point total of the season, accumulating 920 points to open an insurmountable lead over second-place Sheridan College in the CRMR. The Generals were third last weekend with 435 points. UW’s 5,570 total points through nine fall and spring competitons gives the Pokes a 1,605-point lead over Sheridan College. Both teams will advance full six-man points team members to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Casper later this summer.

The Cowgirls had their best showing of the spring season last weekend by totaling 480 points, nearly a 100-point margin over runner-up Gillette College. Going into the final weekend, the UW women hold a 488-point lead over the Pronghorns in the race for the regional title, as the Cowgirls try to dethrone the three-time CRMR champions from Gillette College.

“We will crown regional champions this weekend,” Glause says. “We look forward to a great rodeo and the community coming out to support the Cowboys and Cowgirls.”

All six members of the men’s points team placed in their respective events in Casper, with two Cowboys finishing in the top three in the all-around:

-- UW was led by all-around champion Rio Nutter, who placed in two events and had a perfect tie-down roping weekend. The Rapid City, S.D., senior recorded the top times in two rounds of competition to win the average. He also was third in steer wrestling.

-- Traven Sharon, of Ordway, Colo., continued to climb up the ranks of saddle bronc riding when he also went perfect in two rounds of competition to take the average.

-- Greybull’s Colton Farrow had his best weekend of the season, opening with the second-best mark in the opening round and then splitting the top score in the short go to split first on two head in the average.

-- David Gallagher, of Brighton, Colo., and Tate Talkington, from Scottsbluff, Neb., combined for the runner-up position in team roping.

-- Treg Thorstensen, of Lantry, S.D., was fourth in calf roping.

Four other UW team members also placed in their respective events last weekend.

Colby Runner, of Wellington, Colo., was second in tie down roping, and teammate Jaxson Mirabal, of Magdelena, N.M., was sixth in the same event’s average. Mirabal also was fourth in steer wrestling, which earned him enough points to finish as the all-around runner-up. Brothers Rowdy and Roan Weil, from Kersey, Colo., placed third in team roping.

The Cowgirls scored the bulk of their 480 points in just one event, dominating goat tying by putting up 390 points.

-- Josie Mousel, of Colman, S.D., returned to her winning ways when she opened with the third-best time followed by a top short-go time to take the average. She later returned to win breakaway roping’s short go to earn fourth in the average, which gave her enough individual points to earn the all-around title.

-- Landry Haugen, of Sturgis, S.D., was third in the all-around and won goat tying’s long go to give her a split of fourth in the average. She also earned breakaway roping points.

-- Layni Stevens, from St. Lawrence, S.D., had two solid goat tying rounds to give her third in the average.

Four other Cowgirls also placed last weekend.

Merrin Frost, of Baldwin, Kan., raced her horse to the top two times in barrel racing to take the average. Teammate Makenzi Scott, from Rock Springs, was third in the same event. In breakaway roping, Glenrock’s Lilly Masopust won the short go to give her the runner-up position in the average, and Makenna Baker, of Chico, Calif., was third.