UWs Dinwoodie Marks on Opening Day at CNFR

Not even a severe case of tonsillitis could keep the University of Wyoming’s Brady Dinwoodie from competing at this week’s College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) at the Casper Events Center.

The Griffin, Saskatchewan, transfer student scored 64 points Sunday on “Confused Woman” to place 11th overall during the opening performance of “Bulls, Broncs and Breakaway,” an event that is just for bronc and bull riders, and breakaway ropers.

The rest of the 400-plus contestants got into the action Monday morning with two slack rounds before the first of four nightly performances begins Tuesday evening. The championship go round is Saturday at 7 p.m.

UW’s two other CNFR qualifiers -- Brit Ellerman and Tylor Bond -- both will see action in the arena for the first time Monday. Ellerman, from Fort Lupton, Colo., competes in team roping with longtime friend Trey Yates from Eastern Wyoming College, while Bond is entered in the steer wrestling competition.

All three UW Cowboys will finish their second slack rounds Tuesday. Each competitor is guaranteed three rounds for a chance to compete in Saturday’s championship round; and each will compete at least once during one of the week’s nightly performances. Bond will compete Tuesday night; Dinwoodie’s third round is Wednesday; and Ellerman wraps up Thursday evening.

The top 12 individual times and scores on both the men’s and women’s sides advance to the short go.

With only 15 of the nearly 40 saddle bronc riders marking in the opening round, Dinwoodie is in a good position, despite his 64 points. The leader, Rusty Wright from the College of Southern Idaho, marked with 75.5 points.

“Brady did what he had to do, but it wasn’t much of a horse he was on,” UW Coach George Howard says.

Dinwoodie, who entered the CNFR with the fourth most points in the nation during the regular season, has been slowed by a bout of tonsillitis, but he is pushing through in college rodeo’s top competition.

“He’s in really good position. There are some really good horses, but Brady just didn’t draw a good one,” Howard says. “But, he’s got one out of the way and needs just two more to qualify for the short go.”