News Release

UW Cowboys, Cowgirls Take Opening Spring Rodeo Team Titles

April 3, 2008 -- Troy Brandemuehl has one more week to crack the University of Wyoming rodeo team’s six-man lineup.

As a three-year member of the team, what’s another few days to prove he belongs on the suddenly-resurgent UW Cowboys rodeo team? The Gordon, Neb., wildlife biology junior captured last week’s Eastern Wyoming College (EWC) all-around title while winning the tie down roping event and placing second in steer wrestling.

Even though his individual all-around performance didn’t earn a single point for the Cowboys, the UW men tied with Central Rocky Mountain Region (CRMR) rival Central Wyoming College (CWC) for first place with 500 points each. Only the selected six-member team scores points, but others on the team can compete as individuals.

“Troy had a fantastic rodeo. He’s matured and I’ll give him one more week before I put him on the team,” UW Coach George Howard says. In Howard’s system, team members must score a certain amount of individual points before being selected to the six-man team.

If Brandemuehl can do well at this weekend’s CRMR rodeo at Colorado State University, the UW Cowboys could possibly compete for the second place spot and a chance to advance as a team to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR). Only the top two regional teams advance to the finals.

CWC is the CRMR runaway leader with 3,650 points after five rodeos, while the Cowboys jumped from fifth to third with last weekend’s win. Lamar Community College is currently a distant second with 1,635 points and the Cowboys are just 140 points back.

The UW men scored just 50 points in their final fall rodeo and slipped in the overall standings, but with the return of some students -- because of various reasons -- Howard feels his club has a good shot at being one of the region’s top two teams.

“I’m not surprised at all how we did last weekend. These guys are capable of doing this at every rodeo,” he says. “We have some guys who are now eligible and we’re back to being healthy. I just told them to have fun this past weekend and that’s what they did.”

Of the six-member team, the Cowboys scored major points in bareback riding and tie down roping.

Neil DeZort, a civil engineering sophomore from Kalispell, Mont., split the bareback riding title, but suffered another separated shoulder -- an injury he first incurred at last season’s CNFR. The shoulder was popped back into place, but DeZort may require surgery if the injury persists.

Regional roping leader, Jake Pratt, a secondary education sophomore from Ellensburg, Wash., was the runner-up to Brandemuehl, and teammates Mark Morrison, a civil engineering Killdeer, S.D., senior, and Jason Hubbard of Wheatland, an agriculture freshman, added fourth- and sixth-place points.

John Franzen, a communications junior from Wright, and Buffalo, S.D., junior Chad Nelson picked up first round steer wrestling points to round out the Cowboys’ scoring.
It was no surprise on the women’s side when the UW Cowgirls won their fifth team title in as many outings.

The Cowgirls scored a whopping 390 points in one event for a team total of 530 points, outdistancing the host Lady Lancers by 310 points. The UW women are the only team in the region with four-digit points with 2,855 points overall, while second place CWC has 883.33.

UW went 1-2-3 in goat tying, with regional leader Nikki Steffes, a molecular biology junior from Vale, S.D., placing first followed by teammates TaNaye Carroll, a kinesiology junior from La Junta, Colo., and Sarah Mulholland, a nursing junior from Richland Center, Wis.

Steffes, who won her fourth all-around title last weekend, also placed third in barrel racing. Carroll added breakaway roping points.

Listed are the team totals from the EWC and also the top six individuals in the average.

Men’s Team Points -- University of Wyoming (UW) and Central Wyoming College, (CWC) 500; Lamar Community College (LCC), 480; Northeastern Junior College (NJC), 385; Sheridan College (SC), 330; Eastern Wyoming College (EWC), 195; Colorado State University (CSU), 135; Laramie County Community College (LCCC), 120; Gillette College (GC), 70; Casper College (CC), 50.

Women’s Team Points -- UW 530; EWC, 220; LCC, 200; Chadron State College (CSC), 170; CC, 110; CWC, 95; GC, 60; SC, 50.

Barrel racing -- Jordan Hodges, UW, 35.18; Michelle Robinson, LCC, 35.49; Nikki Steffes, UW, 35.61; Sydney Hettinger, CC, 35.76; Jessica Cates, GC, 35.78; Emily Kolka, EWC, 36.15.
Breakaway roping -- Kali Olson, CSC, 6.4; Andie Cross, EWC, 6.6; Katy Pfleger, LCCC, 7.7; Spring Moore, EWC, 15; Megan Rankin, EWC, 15.1; Jessica Smith, LCC, 15.5.

Goat tying -- Nikki Steffes, UW, 16.2; Sarah Mulholland, UW, 17.8; TaNaye Carroll, UW, 18.1; Larame Pope, UW, 18.4; Sami Kirk, CC, 18.6; Annie Joanette, CWC , 19.6.

Saddle bronc riding -- Patrick Carpenter, SC, 144; Blaze Hamaker, CWC, 140; Tyler Patik, CWC, 129; Ty Hamaker, CWC, 127; Colt Hamaker, CWC, 114; Tyrel Thybo, CWC , 106; Seth Glause, CWC, 69 on one.

Bareback riding -- Craig Wisehart, NJC, 143; Neil DeZort, UW, 143; Joshua Chase, CWC, 143; Ty Kenner, EWC, 137; Troy Bechen, CC, 134; James Baldwin, UW, 126.

Bull riding -- Cameron Weddle, NJC, 147; Stephen James, UW, 143; Wyatt Johnson, NJC, 138; and Ty Hamaker, CWC, 76; Charlie Gorzalka, SC, 74; Seth Glause, CWC, 74, all on one.

Tie down roping -- Troy Brandemuehl, UW, 23.2; Jake Pratt, UW, 24.9; Joey Dickens, CSU, 25.7; Jake Colletti, LCC, 26.7; Mark Morrison, UW, 26.8; Jason Hubbard, UW, 27.1.

Steer wrestling -- Tyrel Larson, CC, 14.1; Troy Brandemuehl, UW, 18.9; Jake Colletti, LCC, 20.5; Vance Steedley, SC, 20.4; Shane Hawks, LCC, 27.7.

Team roping -- Cole Dorenkamp/Josh Fillmore, LCC, 19.9; Katie Felix/Jake Hamilton, CC, 20.1; Austin Laramore, Regis College/Casey Warnock, LCC, 20.9; Shannon Vaughan, EWC/Hansen Vaughan, CSU, 22.6; Tyler Shelstad/Nick Ellsworth, LCCC, 23.6; Phil Schuman/CSU/Mark Morrison, UW, 28.8.

Photo:
Troy Brandemuehl

Posted on Thursday, April 03, 2008