It wasn’t the fast start out of the chute the University of Wyoming rodeo teams were looking for in the opening weekend of Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) competition.
Both UW teams placed sixth overall in their respective competitions at the Central Wyoming Rodeo (CWC) in Riverton.
The UW men scored 245 points, but the Gillette College and Casper College rodeo teams easily dominated the first of five fall rodeos. The Pronghorns, who were the CRMR runners-up a year ago, scored an impressive 750 points, while the T-Birds were 55 points back. Sheridan College was third with 405.
Chadron State College jumped to an early regional lead on the women’s side, claiming first place with 320 points, while Gillette College had 260. The Cowgirls scored just 80 points.
The Cowboys scored the bulk of their points in saddle bronc riding when a pair of seniors -- Wyatt Clark, from Wellfleet, Neb., and Eric Gewecke of Gillette -- both placed in the average. Clark was fifth and Gewecke sixth in the competition.
Clark also had a three-way split for second place in the bareback riding average.
The final UW team points came from senior Clayton Van Aken of Descanso, Calif., who combined with Kyon Kreutzer to place sixth in the team roping average.
Other UW Cowboys also placed in the average in their respective events, but their points did not count toward the team standings. They were not selected before the rodeo to be among the six-man UW team.
Big Piney’s Austin Doyle was the bull riding runner-up while UW’s Corbin Nichols and Coley Nichols of Casper College placed third in the team roping average. The brothers are from Kinnear.
Freshman Amelia Anderson, from Forsyth, Mont., had the highest finish for the Cowgirls in the opening CRMR rodeo, placing fifth in the goat tying average.
The only other points scored for the UW women came from sophomore Cassie Hamilton from Chehalis, Wash., who scored early points in the opening round, but did not record a successful time in the short go.
Northeastern Junior College’s David Hinman won the all-around title, while the women’s champion was Chadron State’s Shaylee Hance.
Chadron State College in Crawford, Neb., hosts this weekend’s regional rodeo.
For team points and individual results from the CWC rodeo, click here.
