Tough Weekend for UW Mens Rodeo Team

With just two regional rodeos left in the season, the University of Wyoming men’s club is in danger of not sending a full team to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) this summer.

The Cowboys’ spring slide continued with an eighth-place showing at last weekend’s Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) rodeo hosted by Colorado State University (CSU) in Fort Collins.

UW’s men remained fourth overall in the CRMR team standings, but the gap from the top has widened.

Casper College had its best showing of the season at CSU last weekend to capture team honors and, in the process, took over first place in the regional standings. The T-Birds have accumulated 3,105 total points through eight fall and spring rodeos to overtake two-week leader Chadron State University by 100 points.

Gillette College, the previous leader for much of the season, saw its own spring season slump continue as the Pronghorns fell even further behind the leaders with 2,900 points. Just a month ago, the Cowboys were sitting second overall in the standings, but now trail Casper College by 440 points -- the team’s largest deficit of the season.

Only the top two teams in the region automatically send full clubs to the CNFR this summer at the Casper Events Center. However, teams can qualify members for finishing high in the six men’s individual events.

The Cowboys are 340 points out of the runner-up positon.

At Fort Collins last weekend, the T-Birds rolled up a season-best 530 points to top runner-up teams Northeastern Junior College (Sterling, Colo.) and Laramie County Community College (LCCC) by 100 points each. The UW men were eighth with 170 team points.

The Cowboys managed to score all their points in just a pair of roughstock events.

Canadian transfer Brady Dinwoodie continued his steady ways by finishing third in the saddle bronc riding average. The senior was second in the long go and picked up third-place short-go points.

The team’s final 40 team points came from sophomore Jaden Clark in bareback riding. The Wellfleet, Neb., Cowboy scored all his points in the short go, with the round’s third best ride.

The UW Cowgirls had their best showing of the spring season, scoring 115 team points -- good enough for sixth place at the CSU rodeo.

LCCC won for the first time this season, scoring 465 points to easily outdistance runner-up Central Wyoming College, which had 285 points.

Amelia Anderson, from Forsyth, Mont., scored 75 of the team’s points by placing in both rounds of goat tying. The UW sophomore was fourth in the overall average.

Brittanny Brasfield, from Delta, Colo., scored the team’s final 40 points. The sophomore placed third in the opening breakaway roping round but did not record a time in the short go and did not place in the overall average.

Gillette College remains the overall CRMR leader with 2,955 points, while Northeastern Junior College is a distant second with 1,525 points. The Cowgirls remain 11th overall with 435 points.

Casper College hosts its annual Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo this weekend. The CRMR’s final rodeo will be hosted by UW May 1-3.

For a list of individual and team winners from the CSU rodeo, click here. Updated CRMR results are available here.