UW Cowgirls Win Rodeo Opener, Cowboys Second

Both University of Wyoming rodeo teams opened the regional season with expected strong starts last weekend at Chadron State College (CSC) in Nebraska, with the Cowgirls producing a dominating win and the Cowboys finishing second.

The Cowgirls, coming off a runner-up finish at last summer's College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), more than doubled their closest pursuer, taking the first of five fall Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) competitions with 555.83 points. The Gillette College women were a distant second at 245.83.

"The women's team started off strong this weekend," fourth-year UW Coach Seth Glause says.

The UW men's team had a solid effort in rolling to a second-place finish with 380 points, 90 behind front-running Gillette College.

"The men's team missed some opportunities in the short go, but I look for them to be locked in and ready to go this weekend," Glause says.

The Cowgirls' four-member women's team scored heavily in two of the three women's events and was led by all-around national champion Josie Mousel, who also won the all-around title at CSC last weekend.

Mousel, the reigning national goat tying champion, set the early pace in the regional event, taking first in the average. The Colman, S.D., senior split the opening round, then produced the top short go time to take the overall average.

She also split the overall breakaway roping average with teammate Landry Haugen, from Sturgis, S.D., giving Mousel 305 individual team points in two events. Haugen had the short go round's best time, while Mousel was right behind in second.

Layni Stevens, of St. Lawrence, S.D., was third in the goat tying average, and teammate Kassidy Dunagan, from Whitehall, Mont., was sixth in the event.

"I was really proud of how our goat tyers competed this weekend; it was a solid effort across the board for them," Glause says. "And Josie and Landry made smart runs in the breakaway roping short go on a tough set of cattle to split the win. They look to be competing at the top of their games."

Cowgirl freshman Shayda Lesmeister, from Gillette, made two solid runs in barrel racing as well. She won the opening round, boosting her to third place in the average.

In the women's CSC rodeo team standings -- following the Cowgirls and Pronghorns -- were Laramie County Community College (LCCC) with 130 points, Central Wyoming College with 105 points and Colorado State University with 82.5 points.

Tate Talkington, from Scottsbluff, Neb., picked up where he left off in the CRMR tie-down roping competition last weekend. The senior, who won the regional roping title last season, had a trifecta, winning both the opening round and the short go to give him the overall average and 180 team points.

"Tate simply dominated the calf roping and looks to continue to compete at a high level this season," Glause says.

Teammate Traven Sharon, from Ordway, Colo., who was fourth in the nation last year in saddle bronc riding -- he also is the reigning CRMR all-around champion -- had a solid opening weekend in his specialty event, placing third in the average.

"Traven placed well in the saddle bronc riding," Glause says. "He had a tough horse in the short round and handled him well."

Pinedale bareback rider Eian Smith made a splash in his debut for the Pokes with the best mark in the opening round but did not place in the overall average. Freshman Carter Hutchison, from Rozet, scored points in team roping with heeler Hayes Buress, from Gillette College.

Freshman Colby Smith, from Burns, rode both his horses well to place sixth in the saddle bronc average.

Sheridan College placed third in the CSC rodeo men's division with 355 points, followed by LCCC's 300 points. Otero College in Colorado was fifth with 285 points.

The CRMR's next competition is this weekend at the Central Wyoming College rodeo in Riverton.