University of Wyoming Cowgirls and Cowboys Win Big at CSU Rodeo

This is the win the University of Wyoming Cowgirls have been waiting for all season. And, for the Cowboys, it was business as usual at the Colorado State University (CSU) rodeo recently.

With all four members of the points team scoring in triple digits, the Cowgirls steamrolled the competition, winning their first Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) rodeo of the season by a wide margin. The UW women scored a season-high 685 points to outdistance CRMR leader Gillette College by 330 points.

They were the only two regional teams to break triple digits in the overall team points standings. The win put the Cowgirls back in the chase for their fourth straight CRMR team championship with just two remaining rodeos. The Pronghorns still lead the overall regional standings with 3,274 points, but the UW women cut into the deficit and now have 2,638.33 points.

The Cowgirls took the CSU rodeo on the strength of three Cowgirls finishing 1-2-3 in the all-around — led by Faith Hoffman, Sage Kohr and Kenna McNeill — who all scored points in two different events.

The team points were scored by:

— Hoffman, from Kiowa, Colo., pulled off a trifecta in goat tying, winning the long and short go and the overall average to keep her fully entrenched as the region’s second-best competitor in the event. She also picked up fourth-place average points in the breakaway roping competition, an event that saw the five top positions go to UW points and non-points team members. Three more Cowgirls also scored in the seventh through ninth positions.

— McNeill, from Hobbs, N.M., came through with third place in the goat tying average and added to her all-around points by splitting the runner-up position in breakaway roping.

— Kohr will take over the regional barrel racing lead after winning the CSU competition, putting together a couple of solid rounds. The Gillette native split third place in the opening rounds and won the short go to give her the win in the average. She also scored breakaway roping points, but she did not place in the average.

— In barrel racing, Kelsey Lensegrav, of Interior, S.D., won the opening round, did not place in the short go and ended up fifth. She also added points in goat tying.

Several UW women’s team members also placed during the weekend, but they were not on the points team. In breakaway roping, Gillette’s Emme Norsworthy placed first; Kassandra Shoemaker, from Gill, Colo., split second; Hailey Hardeman, of Jackson, placed fifth; and Cassidy March, of Hot Springs, S.D., and Tatum Runner, of Wellington, Colo., also scored points, but they did not place in the average. Riata Day, from Fleming, Colo., placed sixth in the goat tying average, and Makenzi Scott, of Rock Springs, was sixth in barrel racing.

With just two rodeos remaining in the regular season, the UW men are honing in on their fourth consecutive CRMR team title after the CSU win.

The Cowboys took the weekend victory with 775 points to outpace Central Wyoming College by 335 points. Third went to Casper College, which was a distant third with 280 points. In the regional standings, the UW men are nearing the 5,000-point plateau with 4,991.66, while Casper College sits second overall with 3,850.

At the CSU rodeo, five UW points team members scored:

— Rio Nutter, of Rapid City, S.D., won his second straight all-around by placing in both roping events. He won the short go in tie down roping to give him second in the average, and he added points in team roping with Reece Wadhams, of Laramie County Community College. The pair combined to score third-place points in the average.

— Cameron Jensen, of Hyannis, Neb., was second in the all-around on the strength of his tie down roping win. He took the opening round and secured the second-fastest time in the short go. He then added points by placing third in the opening round of steer wrestling, but he did not place in the average.

— In the same event, Jacob Wang, of Baker, Mont., made the most of his first appearance on the UW points team this season when he won the short go round that boosted him to third in the average.

— UW had a pair of riders place in the bareback competition. Kemmerer’s Donny Proffit won the opening round that gave him the runner-up position in the overall average, and teammate Brice Patterson, from Bozeman, Mont., was one place back of his roommate. He was consistent, placing third in both rounds of competition.

Two other non-points team members also placed for the Cowboys: Greybull’s Colton Farrow was fifth in bareback riding, and Parker Rowe, of Jackson, placed third in tie down roping.

CRMR teams have the weekend off, with the next action at Casper College’s Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days April 14-16.