UW Rodeo Team rounds out successful fall season
The University of Wyoming (UW) Rodeo Team wrapped up a solid showing during the fall college rodeo season. Currently, both the men’s and women’s team lead the Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR).
The UW Men’s Rodeo Team has accumulated 3,095 points, ahead of the number two-ranked team from Gillette College by 750 points. The women’s team, named the team to beat in the Central Rocky Mountain Region, holds 1,525 points, leading second place Colorado State University by 985 points.
Nationally, the UW men’s team is ranked number one, followed by the Mid-Plains Community College and Montana State University. The women’s team ranks fifth nationally.
Women’s team
“The women’s team has done great this year,” says UW Rodeo Coach Beau Clark. “They are a very impressive group of young women that work hard in school and rodeo.”
The cowgirls won all four of the fall rodeos in the region. The team collected 255 points at the Chadron State College Rodeo, 475 points at the Laramie County Community College Rodeo, 345 points at the Central Wyoming College Rodeo and 450 points at the Lamar Community College Rodeo.
Karson Bradley leads both the CRMR and the national standings in barrel racing. In the regional standings, teammates Kelsey Lensegrav and Taylour Latham follow Bradley with the sixth and ninth rankings, respectively.
In breakaway roping, Brandy Schaak has earned fourth place in the national rankings and first place in the regional ranks. Faith Hoffman closely follows in fifth and Hailey Hardeman in ninth.
Hoffman leads the way in goat tying, ranking third nationally and first regionally. Latham is ranked 10thnationally and second regionally. Wyoming cowgirls following Hoffman and Latham include Reata Beck sitting fourth, Makenna Balkenbush in fifth, Lensegrav in sixth and Jacy Thompson seventh.
Men’s team
As of Oct. 12, the cowboy’s lead the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association rankings.
“In our region, both Casper and Gillette have really good teams this year,” says Clark.
“But, we have a really unique team in that we have a lot of depth,” Clark shares. “I’m very proud we are doing well on both ends of the arena. We aren’t just a timed event school or just a rough stock school.”
“I’m pretty tickled the kids from Wyoming who rodeo for UW are seeing a lot of success. Jace Berger is one of the most productive members on the team and is looking at heading to the College National Finals Rodeo. Wyatt Tarver, Donny Proffit and Dylan Grant are great athletes,” says Clark. “It’s meaningful to see the kids who grew up here go to UW and see success.”
Cowboys Chadron Coffield and Seth Peterson are both ranked in the top 10 in the men’s all-around national standings. Coffield leads regional tie-down roping, followed by Peterson and teammates Austin Hurlburt and Wyatt Tarver.
Bareback Rider Donny Proffit is ranked number one in the region. Brice Patterson ranks third, Chase Rose seventh and Jared Schultis eighth.
Coffield and Peterson strike again in the steer wrestling, placing fourth and seventh in the region, respectively. Jace Berger follows in eighth.
In the bull riding, Dylan Grant is ranked seventh in the region, followed by Proffit in ninth. Garrett Uptain sits second regionally and 11th nationally in the saddle bronc riding.
In the team roping, Jase Staudt leads the region and sits third overall in the national ranking as a header, followed by Peterson who ranks 10th regionally. On the heel end, Hurlburt ranks 12th regionally.
Spring rodeos
The Lamar Community College Rodeo was the last rodeo of the fall season, leading the team into winter practice to prepare for the spring rodeo season.
“We’re done with rodeos for the fall, but we continue to practice all winter,” Clark notes. “I believe that’s one of the reasons we’ve been able to see success is the team members really grind to keep getting better.”
In preparation for spring rodeos, Clark says practice turns into a five-days-a-week activity and the team continues to practice for all of the events.
“In the fall, its hard to expect the team to make a lot of changes while they are competing,” says Clark. “Although we do see improvement while competing, now is the time to go back to the basics. We focus on getting the horses better for timed events and work on their skills, like how they handle their ropes or ride their bucking horses.”
Averi Hales is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
