UW Cowboys and Cowgirls Sweep Regional Team Titles

It's official: The University of Wyoming rodeo teams own the Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR).

The Cowboys and Cowgirls ended a dominant regular season, winning seven of 10 rodeos apiece and qualifying 13 individuals for the year-end College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) later this summer in Casper.

The UW men captured their eighth consecutive CRMR team title by nearly 2,000 points after winning the season finale Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo Sunday afternoon. The Pokes accumulated 6,365 points after scoring 800 in their home rodeo. Just two CRMR teams earn automatic bids to the CNFR, with regional runner-up Sheridan College earning 4,380 points this season.

The Cowgirls, who also won this past weekend, added 388.3 points to finish the 10-rodeo regular season with 3,631.33 points to outpace Gillette College, which finished second in the final rodeo to the UW women and also in the region. The Pronghorns, who won the region the past three seasons over UW, closed the year with 3,065 points.

"The students did a great job this weekend and finished strong, winning both team titles for the rodeo and sealing both regional titles," Coach Seth Glause says. "I'm proud of the way they competed all year long. This was definitely a team effort, and we earned every bit of it."

Glause has the task of choosing six men to be on the CNFR points team, and he has plenty of talent among the 11 qualifiers. The list features all-around regional champion Traven Sharon. The Ordway, Colo., freshman had a strong spring season that vaulted him to second in both saddle bronc riding and tie-down roping.

Also in consideration are a pair of CRMR event champions: tie-down roper Tate Talkington, from Scottsbluff, Neb., and Jacob Wang, of Baker, Mont., who won the regional steer wrestling title for the second time in three seasons.

Runner-up finishers are Greybull's Colton Farrow in bareback riding; bulldogger Sam Gallagher, of Brighton, Colo., who also was third in the all-around; and Rio Nutter, from Rapid City, S.D., the reserve all-around champion.

The top three individual event-place winners also earn a trip to the CNFR. Securing bids are third-place finishers Thayne Kimbrough, of Ohiowa, Neb., in steer wrestling; Sheridan bull rider Aidan Sawyer; calf roper Treg Thorstensen, from Lantry, S.D.; and, in team roping, twin brothers Rowdy and Roan Weil, of Kersey, Colo.

Representing the Cowgirls will be regional goat tying champion Josie Mousel, from Colman, S.D., who also was the all-around reserve champion. Rock Springs' Makenzi Scott came on strong late in the spring season to finish second in barrel racing; and Olivia Lay, from Elbert, Colo., was third in breakaway roping. Glause has the option to add another Cowgirl to the four-member points team, and he will make his selection at a later date.

During the Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo, four Cowboys combined to score 720 of the team's total points. Nutter and Thorstensen won the long go of team roping, boosting them to the win in the average. Farrow had the short go round's best mark in bareback riding to give him the event win in his final home appearance. Sharon cruised to the tie-down roping championship by sweeping both rounds of competition. David Gallagher, of Brighton, Colo., scored the final team points with his fourth-place finish in the same event.

Six other Cowboys also had big days in the home finale. In saddle bronc riding, Malcom Heathershaw, from Quinn, S.D., was the runner-up; taking the third through sixth positions in steer wrestling were Colby Runner, of Windsor, Colo.; Sam Gallagher, of Brighton, Colo.; Kimbrough and Jaxson Mirabal, of Magdalena, N.M. Mirabal also combined with Wang to finish fifth in the team roping average.

The Cowgirls were led by three-event place winner and the rodeo's reserve all-around winner, Landry Haugen, over the weekend. The Sturgis, S.D., junior was fourth in barrel racing, sixth in goat tying and sixth in team roping with Lay. Layni Stevens, from St. Lawrence, S.D., added third-place points in barrel racing.

Scott boosted her CNFR bid when she split first in the barrel racing average on the strength of her top time in the opening round. Kassidy Dunagan, from Whitehall, Mont., finished sixth in goat tying.

"Thanks to all the students, families, fans and supporters for all the work this year," Glause says. "We are proud of our student-athletes and all of the people in our corner."