UW Rodeo Teams Again Sweep Weekend Titles

Going into a weekend break, University of Wyoming rodeo Coach Seth Glause likes his team's chances of winning the Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) team titles with the season finishing up at the end of the month.

"Right now, we are in the driver's seat for both team titles in the region," Glause says after his clubs swept team titles at the Skyline Stampede hosted by Colorado State University last weekend. "We need to keep our foot on the gas and finish strong at the final two rodeos."

The Cowboys posted their highest spring season total over the weekend with 725 points to open a 1,120-point lead over second-place Sheridan College with just two remaining competitions in the regular season. The Generals were a distant second to the UW men at the Skyline Stampede with 370 points.

The Cowgirls were the only women's team to surpass the 200-point mark in the latest regional rodeo, collecting 213.3 points, while the host Rams were second with 180. For the year, the UW women widened their CRMR lead over Gillette College by 343 points after netting 2,380 through eight fall and spring events.

"Both teams competed very well this past weekend. I was proud of the effort across the board," Glause says. "I feel like our team is very balanced and can win in any event on any given weekend."

Traven Sharon took the all-around for the second straight weekend when he scored a season-best 265 points in two events. The Ordway, Colo., freshman was second in saddle bronc riding to take the regional lead, then won tie-down roping on the strength of the opening round's top time.

David Gallagher, from Brighton, Colo., chipped in team points in a pair of events, finishing fourth in the tie-down average and fifth in bulldogging. UW team ropers Rio Nutter, from Rapid City, S.D., and Treg Thorstenson, of Landry, S.D., won the short go, placing third in the average. Greybull's Colton Farrow rounded out the team scoring, adding fifth-place bareback riding points.

Six more UW team members also did well at the CSU rodeo.

Jacob Wang, from Baker, Mont., had a perfect steer wrestling weekend, recording the top long and short round times to give him the bulldogging average. In the same event, Sam Gallagher, from Brighton, Colo., was third in the average, and Thayne Kimbrough, of Ohiowa, Neb., was next in fourth. Jaxson Mirabal, from Magdalena, N.M., was the tie-down runner-up; and saddle bronc riding teammates Cian Ahern, of Wyarno, and Malcom Heathershaw, from Quinn, S.D., were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Just like Sharon, Layni Stevens also won the women's all-around for the second straight rodeo. The St. Lawrence, S.D., senior scored 133 points in a pair of events. She produced two solid goat tying rounds with fourth- and third-place finishes that gave her third in the average. She also added sixth-place points in the breakaway average.

The final team points came from Josie Mousel, of Colman, S.D., when she added round points in two separate events. She had the third-best time in the goat tying long go and also was third in the opening round of team roping with partner Gavin Wash of Otero Community College.

Three other Cowgirls also placed in their respective events. Gillette's RaeLee Caldwell pulled off a trifecta in goat tying, winning both rounds and the average, and, in the same event, Kassidy Dunagan, of Whitehall, Mont., was sixth. Merrin Frost, from Baldwin, Kan., placed sixth in the breakaway roping average.

Glause says his teams are looking forward to a weekend break before the final stretch of rodeos at Casper College and the home Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo on consecutive weekends later this month.