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Wyoming men sneak into CNFR as a team
By ERIC SCHMOLDT
Star-Tribune staff writer
LARAMIE -- In their eyes, they should have never needed the calculator.
A dismal start to the Central Rocky Mountain Region rodeo season put the Wyoming Cowboys in a hole.
Then, when they finally put themselves in position to earn a trip to next month's College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, they nearly faltered and were forced to pull out the pens and pads again.
But when the dust settled on Sunday's Laramie River Rendezvous, they did just enough to eke out the region's second team slot with a fifth-place finish.
"We were kind of on the bubble all year long and it came down to the last rodeo," UW tie-down roper Jason Hubbard said. "After all of it, there was about five or six of us adding it up in our heads."
"We thought we knew where we was, but who knows? Math's never been any of our strongest subjects."
They knew the numbers two weeks ago, when they were in fifth place and almost 500 points out of second.
But they had a 185-point lead over third-place Lamar Community College heading into this weekend. Wyoming let almost all of it slip away, posting just 290 points on Sunday.
In the end, the Cowboys edged Lamar by just 10 points.
Luckily, they won't have to do any more math for awhile.
Back in the CNFR after missing out a year ago, the Cowboys are now only concerned with one number: zero -- as in the number of points every team starts with at the CNFR.
With that in mind, they say they're legitimate contenders.
"I didn't know who was going to win it ... but I wasn't too worried about it," said tie-down roper Jake Pratt, who solidified the Pokes' spot by winning the long go-round and finishing second in the average. "(Now) we've got some good guys on our team that, if it all comes together, I wouldn't be surprised if we win the national title."
Neither will coach George Howard.
"We start from zero," he said. "And we're not just happy to be (at the CNFR). We're after the national title."
"They're confident they're going to win the nation. (And) I've been there before and I know what it takes. They've matured a bunch."
UW just hopes it can carry the momentum over despite more than a month off.
If they can, they just might have more numbers to crunch when it comes time to determine a men's team national champion.
"We shoulda had a lot better year, we just didn't all click at the same time," Hubbard said. "The last couple weeks we kind of got on track and made some things happen that should've happened all year.
"I think we're going to come in and give 'em hell."
NOTES
UW WOMEN CRUISE: Nikki Steffes couldn't lose on Sunday.
She took home Rendezvous titles in goat tying and barrel racing, then collected the champions' saddle for winning CRMR titles in the same events.
She'll shoot for a few more honors when she and the Wyoming women's team work to defend their national titles at the CNFR.
CASPER COLLEGE BOASTS TWO ENTRIES: A year after being shut out of the CNFR, Casper College will send two athletes: team roper Dustin Smith and breakaway roper Katie Felix.
VOLD LARSEN WINS AWARD: CRMR secretary Tami Vold Larsen has been named the NIRA's Secretary of the Year.
Contact sports reporter Eric Schmoldt at (307) 266-0578 or eric.schmoldt@trib.com.
CNFR QUALIFIERS
Central Rocky Mountain Region
In order of finish
Goat Tying: Nikki Steffes, UW; Tanaye Carroll, UW; Sarah Mulholland, UW.
Bareback Riding: Ty Kenner, Eastern Wyoming; Bryan Jones, Central Wyoming College; Neil DeZort, UW.
Steer Wrestling: Brad Johnson, Gillette; Wyatt Johnson, Northeastern Junior College; Chason Floyd, Gil.
Team Roping (Headers): Cole Dorenkamp, Lamar; Tyler Viles, UW; Chris Cover, EWC.
Team Roping (Heelers): Josh Fillmore, Lamar; Justin Viles, UW; Dustin Smith, Casper.
Barrel Racing: Nikki Steffes, UW; Jessica Cates, Gil; Taylor Miniat, Colorado State.
Breakaway Roping: Tanaye Carroll, UW; Kori Jorgensen, CWC; Katie Felix, CC.
Saddle Bronc Riding: Seth Glause, CWC; Blaze Hamaker, CWC; Pat Carpenter, Sheridan.
Tie Down Roping: Jake Pratt, UW; Jason Hubbard, UW; Joey Dickens, CSU.
Bull Riding: Ty Hamaker, CWC; Seth Glause, CWC; Cameron Weddle, NJC.
CRMR AWARDS
Rookie of the Year: Women, Chelsea Moore, CWC; Men, Cole Dorenkamp, Lamar.
All-Around Champions: Women, Nikki Steffes, UW; Men, Seth Glause CWC.
All-Around Reserves: Women, Tanaye Carroll, UW; Men, Ty Kenner, EWC.
Horse of the Year: Women, Steffes' Doc; Men, Clint Doll's Hudson.
Most Improved Rodeo of the Year: Laramie River Rendezvous, University of Wyoming.
Rodeo of the Year: Ropin' and Riggin' Days, Casper College.
Coach of the Year: Gillette College's Will LaDuke.
RODEO TRACKER
SUNDAY: The Central Wyoming College men and University of Wyoming women took home Laramie River Rendezvous titles with each of them wrapping up top spots in the Central Rocky Mountain Region.
COWBOYS QUALIFY: The Wyoming men finished fifth Sunday, but held on to second place in the region, joining the CWC men and women and the UW women at next month's College National Finals Rodeo.
HE SAID IT: "We start from zero. And we're not just happy to be (at the CNFR). We're after the national title." -- UW coach George Howard on his men's team.
UP NEXT: CNFR, Casper Events Center, June 15-21.
RELATED LINKS
Laramie River Rendezvous results: http://www.collegerodeo.com/Rodeos/Rodeo_Results.asp?Rodeo=UWY
CRMR season standings: http://www.collegerodeo.com/Rodeos/Regional_Standings.asp?Region=CR
NIRA regional season standings: http://www.collegerodeo.com/Rodeos/Result_Standings.asp
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