Rodeo Team News

Women's Team Qualifies for CNFR -- May 13
Match Rodeo Between MSU and UMW a Hit -- April 15

Women's Team Qualifies for CNFR
Tuesday, May 13 2008
The Montana Western women's team finished third and fourth at the final two rodeos of the spring season, but scored enough points to qualify as a team to the College National Finals Rodeo, June 15 through the June 21, 2008 in Casper, Wyo.

Montana Western's Rose Field won the Women's All-Around title in the second University of Montana rodeo as she won the breakaway roping, finished third in team roping and seventh in barrel racing.

The men's team finished third in the final regional standings and did not qualify for the CNFR.

The complete list of Montana Western student athletes to qualify for the CNFR will be released later in the week.
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Match Rodeo Between MSU and UMW a Hit
Tuesday, April 15 2008
It’s unclear whether a match rodeo between Montana State and Montana Western will become an annual event, but it’s clear the cowboys and cowgirls from both schools would like to see that happen.

“I had such a good time,” MSU freshman Kate Sharon said after Sunday’s shootout at Brick Breeden Fieldhouse. “It was so much fun. I had never done anything like it.”

Nor had anyone else from either team. In fact, the exhibition between the Big Sky Region’s top two rodeo programs was such a work in progress that details were still being ironed out as the teams arrived at the fieldhouse early Sunday afternoon.

“We honest to gosh didn’t know what we were doing until we got out there,” Western coach Olie Else said. “We didn’t understand it, but it was a great. I know my kids had a lot of fun.”

MSU coach Mike True was able to fit the shootout into the schedule behind the annual MSU Spring Rodeo this year because his team got an extra day in the fieldhouse. He said there’s no guarantee the program will be able to make similar arrangements in future years, which is why he wouldn’t predict whether he’ll be able to schedule a similar rodeo next spring.

Still, True said he saw plenty to like. The rodeo drew a sizeable crowd to fieldhouse, capping a record weekend. And the event brought out the competitive spirit in both teams, even though the only thing on the line was unofficial state bragging rights.

“I didn’t know what to hope for,” True said. “I think we had a nice little (crowd) come and look at it. They seemed like they were having a good time.

“We had some bugs in it, but it was not too bad. It might be a fit for a college rodeo.”

One aspect True said he plans to revisit before staging another shootout is how to handle the rough stock end of things. The cowboys who made the finals wound up on two head, which made for a rugged day, especially coming right after a three-day region rodeo.

MSU freshmen Jake Vold and Hutch Haslam won the bareback and bull riding, respectively, but both were dragging when the competition was over. Vold had won the short-go in the Spring Rodeo the night before, and Haslam had won the short-go and the aggregate in the bull riding.

“You’re just sore,” Vold said, shrugging off an aching right shoulder. “That’s what happens in rodeo.”

But with cowboys and cowgirls from both schools running side-by-side in the arena, it made for competition unlike anything seen previously at the fieldhouse.

“There was a lot of activity in the arena, and it could have been pretty dangerous,” Else said. “But the kids were watching to make sure not to have a wreck.”

Not surprisingly, the rodeo was close. The teams were tied at 465 points apiece heading into the bull riding, and MSU pulled out a 515-475 win after Haslam and Marty Holden hung on long enough to beat Western’s Tuck Johnson.

The bareback riding set the tone for a competitive day. Vold hung on to win, scoring 73 points to beat Big Sky leader Chad Marquardt, who scored 72.

Stetson Wilson beat teammate Wyatt Smith in an all-Western steer wrestling final, but Braidy Davies and Chase Tryan combined to defeat Blaine Konkel and Vold in an all-MSU team roping final.

Western’s Smith won the saddle bronc, and teammate Sam Levine topped Davies in the tie down roping.

The women’s competition was every bit as tough. The goat tying final between Sharon and Western’s Shaylee French ended in a dead heat, so they ran a second one. Sharon had the lead in that run, but was disqualified because she did not tie three legs.

Sharon bounced back in an all-MSU breakaway roping final, where she edged Sarah Guenzler. Guenzler, the region’s top all-around cowgirl, also lost by a nose to Western’s Brandy Pedersen in the final of the barrel racing.

Though the competition was fierce, it also was friendly, which bodes well for a future encore performance if the other details can be worked out.

“We were all so good to each,” Sharon said of the two teams. “We were all telling each other good luck before a race and good job after it was done.”

By JIM CNOCKAERT
Bozeman Chronicle Sports Editor

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Bulldog Rodeo Opens Spring Season
Tuesday, April 15 2008
Bulldog Rodeo opened their spring season at the Montana State spring rodeo in Bozeman, Mont.

The men finished fourth and the women's team finished third. Both teams are still ranked second in the Big Sky Region.

Whitney Gollehon was the only individual winner for the Bulldogs. Gollehon won the barrel racing title.

The Bulldogs compete Apr. 18-19 in Helena, Mont. at the Big Sky Region rodeo.
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