Cowboys take over 1st in regional competition

Mar. 20—The University of Wyoming men's rodeo team strung together its best performance of the season at the Gillette College rodeo last weekend.

The Cowboys — who won the final fall rodeo last semester — accumulated 765 points to easily outdistance the host Pronghorns with 395.

UW coach Seth Glause's team has now jumped two spots in the Central Rocky Mountain Region men's standings with 2,725 points — 15 points ahead of Gillette College — which had been the overall leader since the opening rodeo last September.

The Cowboys also leapfrogged Casper College in the standings, with the T-Birds dropping to third in the team race with 2,480 points.

"I thought our men's team performed great this past weekend," Glause said. "We missed a couple of chances in the short round to have an exceptional weekend."

UW was led by Bodie Mattson, who was a force in both roping events. He won the opening round of tie-down roping and was second in the short go to win the average.

Mattson and roping partner Troupe Coors split second-place, had the second-best time in the short go and were the team roping runner-up.

Mattson also won the all-around by scoring 315 points for the Cowboys.

The UW men also received scoring from the entire points team:

— Kaden Berger won an individual event, taking the steer wrestling competition with a pair of solid runs.

— Cam Jensen placed in the average in two separate events. He was fourth in steer wrestling and fifth in tie-down roping.

— Brice Patterson returned from the injured list to take third place in bareback riding in his first competition since the College National Finals Rodeo last summer.

— David Gallagher placed fifth in steer wrestling.

— Rio Nutter did not place in the average, but added tie-down roping points.

— Kale Roswadovski won the bareback riding competition, while Weston Mills and partner Coy Johnson were third in team roping.

The Cowgirls also had a solid opening weekend to remain in contention for one of the two CNFR bids by placing third in Gillette.

The Pronghorns won for the fifth time in six rodeos this season with 363.3 points, while Laramie County Community College was second with 240. The Cowgirls were 30 points back.

Gillette College remains the CRMR's top team with 2,243.3 points, while the Cowgirls are hanging on to second place with 1,377.5 points — just 40 ahead of third-place LCCC.

Riata Day dominated goat tying with the second-best time in the opening round. She later won the short go, personally accounting for 170 of the team's total 210 points.

Landry Haugen scored the Cowgirls final points when she had the third-best time in the opening round of goat tying. She did not place in the average.

Kenna McNeill, who was not on the weekend points team, won the women's all-around, placing in a pair of events. She was second in barrel racing and added goat tying points.

The Cowgirls placed three in breakaway roping during the first spring rodeo. Tatum Runner took first, followed by Raegen Delancey in fourth and Jordyn McNamee sixth. Sage Kohr placed fourth in barrel racing.

"I thought our women's team did well," Glause says. "Kenna had a great weekend winning the all-around. I look forward to our team competing at a high level the rest of the spring season."

Both UW rodeo teams head to Torrington this weekend for the Eastern Wyoming College rodeo.