UW rodeo teams struggle at Sheridan

by UW Media Relations

Both University of Wyoming rodeo teams are still trying to find the right combination of team members as the fall season concludes in two weeks.

The UW men's team finished sixth overall at the Sheridan College rodeo last weekend, while the UW women's club at least got on the scoreboard after failing to put up any team points the previous weekend.

The Gillette College men's team continued to pull away from the Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) pack, piling up 845 points at Sheridan last weekend. The Pronghorns have won two of the three fall rodeos. Second at Sheridan was Casper College -- 420 points back. The UW Cowboys scored 195, with the majority coming in team roping for the second straight weekend.
Kade Merritt, a marketing freshman from Eaton, Colo., and Jake Mingus, an undeclared freshman, Jackson, were sixth in the average. UW also got 50 more points in the same event from Beau Miller of Gillette.

Saddle bronc rider Merritt Smith of Gillette, an animal science junior, placed third in the opening round, but did not mark in the short go. The final team points came from Miller in tie down roping.

Gillette College's Cole Dorenkamp won the all-around title, scoring in three different timed events.

The UW women scored just 68.33 points last weekend, while Gillette College, the region's top team, had 170 to tie Central Wyoming College for the overall team title at Sheridan.

Josie Davison, a secondary education junior from Miles City, Mont., continued her strong early showing in barrel racing for UW, finishing fourth in the average. Cayla Allen, an elementary education freshman from Bellvue, Colo., was the only other Cowgirl to score, getting early round points in breakaway roping.

A pair of UW women won events, but their points did not count in the overall team standings.
Nikki Steffes, the region's all-around points leader for the fifth straight year, won the goat tying event and was the barrel racing runner-up. She is competing this year because she is the region's student director.

Dana Weiser, a computer science junior from Wheatland, was second to Steffes in the all-around competition, after winning the breakaway roping event, while adding goat tying points.

The next CRMR rodeo is this weekend at the Lamar (Colorado) College rodeo.

Sheridan College Rodeo
Women's team scores -- Gillette College (GC) and Central Wyoming College (CWC), 170; Eastern Wyoming College (EWC), 160; Chadron State College (CSC), 155; Northeastern Junior College (NJC), 95; Lamar Community College (LCC), 90; University of Wyoming (UW), 68.33; Casper College (CC), 55; Sheridan College (SC), 30.
Men's team scores -- GC, 845; CC, 425; NJC, 290; CWC, 270; Laramie County Community College (LCCC), 225; UW, 195; Colorado State University (CSU), 145; SC, 135; EWC, 110; Otero College (OC) 95; CSC, 80; LCC, 10.
Goat tying -- Nikki Steffes, UW, 15.1; Traci Hinman, CWC, 15.4; Jori Lorenzi, UW, 16; Kaylee Moyer, EWC, 16.6; Dana Weiser, UW, 17.4; Laura Waldo, CWC, 17.6.
Breakaway roping -- Dana Weiser, UW, 5.5; Charlie Opela, EWC, 6.3; Lisa Vroman, CSC, 12.2. On two.
Barrel racing -- Kaylee Gallino, CSC, 33.40; Nikki Steffes, UW, 33.60 Amanda Welsh, GC, 33.64; Josie Davison, UW, 33.78; Kiley Scott, CC, 33.85; Amy Tierney, NJC, 33.93.
Bareback riding -- Jeddidiah Wilson, CSC, 150; Chance Madsen, CC, 146; Cameron Hopper, CWC, 144; Whitton Hoover, CSC, and Wyatt Clark, EWC, 139; Tucker Bringle, GC, 136.
Saddle bronc riding -- Cole Elshere, GC, 154; Travis Darling, CC, 143; J.W. Moore, CC, 141; Ray Tom Meiers, CC, 129. On two.
Bull riding -- Garrett Lowham, LCCC, 166; J.D. Harrell, CC, 152; Ben Longhofer, SC, 147.Tie down roping -- Cole Dorenkamp, GC, 19.1; Joey Dickens, CSU, 19.3; Kolten Keirns. NJC, 19.3; Jake Gill, GC, 20.9; Ryan Belew, Otero College, 24.9.
Steer wrestling -- Chason Floyd, GC, 11.8; Cole Dorenkamp, GC, 12.4; Seth Bolerjack, UW, 12.8; Jim Roedeske, CC,13; Levi Gorsuch, NJC, 13.6; Dalton Hall, NJC, 20.7.
Team roping -- Jordan Steele, UW/Dustin Smith, GC, 15.2; Tuff Ramsey/Cody McCluskey, NJC, 21.6; Chelsea Wilhoit, LCC/Kolten Keirns, NJC, 23; Tyson Holden/Dane Kissack, GC, 24.6; Colten Wakely/Nick Ellsworth, LCCC, 24.9; Kade Merritt/Jake Mangis, UW, 30.5.