Along with the University of Wyoming men’s rodeo team destroying a previous school record, both the Cowboys and Cowgirls have found their way to the top of their region.
The men’s team piled 855 points at the Central Wyoming College (CWC) rodeo in Riverton Sept. 28-30 for the school record of most points scored in a single rodeo. This may also be a Central Rocky Mountain CRMR record. The previous school record was 770 set in Sept. 2011.
“It feels great to break a school record. There’s been so many talented rodeo teams that have competed for UW, so to be part of a record-breaking team is great and really shows the amount of talent we have and hard work we’ve put in,” junior Jase Staudt, of Nathrop, CO said.
The Cowboys jumped ahead in the CRMR region 550 points. They are trailed by two-time regional champion Sheridan College with Gillette College holding at third. The UW men’s team is currently sitting with 2,215 points.
In Cowgirl action, the team is clinging to first place in the women’s division with 1,055 points. Gillette College is trailing behind only 25 points.
Starting off strong at their first rodeo, both teams took first place at the Chadron State College rodeo Sept. 14-16. The men racked up 580 points while the women’s team had 420. For the men, Gage Greer, of Gillette, WY took first in steer wrestling with a time of 9.6 seconds and Denton Shaw’s roping heeler team earned their first-place spot with a time of 14.9 seconds. In barrel racing, Rachel Calvo, of Bassett, NE got first place in her event with a time of 35.28 seconds for the Cowgirls.
Greer and Shaw’s roping heeler team saw consecutive wins the next weekend at Sheridan College. Greer’s steer wrestling time was 9.0 and Shaw’s team got a time of 13.4 for the weekend.
During the record-breaking rodeo at CWC, Staudt won tie down roping with a time of 17.0, Seth Peterson, of Minot, ND took steer wrestling at a time of 9.0 and his teammate Ty Everson, of Helena, MT earned second place at 9.3. The team-roping duo of JC Flake, of Mesa, AZ, and Caden Camp, of Belgrade, MT, gave the Cowboys a win in this event.
This past weekend at Lamar Community College, both the Cowboys and Cowgirls came in second. For the second straight week, the team-roping duo of Flake and Camp led the way for the men scoring 330 points and teammate Kade Greer, of Gillette, WY won the steer wrestling with a time of 9.2 seconds.
For the women, Calvo swept both rounds of barrel racing scoring 60 points for the team. Justene Hirsig, of Cheyenne, WY, who was fifth in both the breakaway roping short go and the average, earned the Cowgirls 40 points.
“Every rodeo weekend is equally important for us, but we are working extremely hard this week and focusing on performing at a really high level to end on a good note for the fall season,” Staudt said.
The UW rodeo teams will make their next appearance at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne this weekend.
