The University of Wyoming Rodeo Team will host its first Bucking Horse Gala, a dinner and auction event to raise money for the team, on Feb. 23.
The gala will feature 2007 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) steer wrestling world champion and UW alumnus Jason Miller of Lusk, Wyoming as the guest speaker. In addition to raising funds the team hopes to recruit future members.
“The students have really taken initiative to putting this together,” said Coach Beau Clark.
The student athletes were in charge of putting together both the live and silent auctions in order to fundraise for travel expenses and resources for practices to help further their success from the fall. Within this live auction attendees of the event can expect NFR tickets, hunting trips, UW athletic tickets, and more.
The event, Clark said, is also “an opportunity to tell the community and people that come what our program is about, the successes we’re having and the direction we’re heading.
“We are a unique group here on campus since we represent the Western culture and heritage of UW and I am really proud of our kids. They’re working hard in the arena and in the classroom.”
Going into the spring rodeo season in the Central Rocky Mountain Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association, the team is hoping to continue its successes. Currently the men rank first and the women second, behind Gillette College, and over half the team finished last semester with 3.0 GPAs. The team has contestants that are first in the region in steer wrestling, team roping header and heeler, breakaway roping and barrel racing events.
With five more competitions scheduled for this spring, practices have already begun for these cowboys and cowgirls. The first competition for the semester is March 15 to 17 at Gillette College. Their season will conclude with the final rodeo April 26 to 28 in Laramie.
In Clark’s view, being part of the team has other benefits for students.
“I hope it’s a growth thing for the students, that wherever they move onto after graduating they’ll have an understanding of the importance of the community,” he said. “UW has had rodeo team since 1940 and this is the first time, that I know of, that there has been an opportunity for students to meet supporters within the community. ”
The gala will take place in the Marian Rochelle Gateway Center beginning with a cocktail hour at 5:30 p.m. and followed by dinner, guest speech and live auction at 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are available online at UW.uwyo.edu/rodeodinner until Feb. 15. The cost is $55 per ticket or $500 for a table. Tables seat seven people, with a UW rodeo team member sitting at each.
