April 2005
Western Rodeo Opens Spring Season at MSU-Bozeman
Friday, April 8 2005
The UM-Western men and women's rodeo teams open the spring season at the MSU- Bozeman rodeo April 7-9 at the MSU Field House. Evening performances will be Thursday, Friday, and Saturday starting at 7:00 p.m. with a slack performance Friday at 10:00 a.m.
2003-2004 was another banner season for the UM-Western rodeo team. The Western women, who ended a five year streak as Big Sky Women's Team Champions ending up second at the Regional Finals, sent a team to the NIRA 55th annual College National Finals Rodeo. Lead by Bry Worthen, who placed second in the nation, Western's Women brought home a second place team victory. Icing on the cake was Olie Else being name NIRA Coach of the Year.
The 2003-2004 Big Sky Regional Finals gave Western several Regional Titles. Michelle Wock won the Big Sky Title in goat tying and Maquel Fleming brought home the Breakaway title. It was an experienced team that traveled to Casper with only Wock making her first appearance. Krystal Roberts represented Western in barrel racing while Bry Worthern qualified in breakaway roping.
On the Men's side, Tate Dempewolf claimed the regional title as a header in team roping. Finishing out the veteran team was Jabe Anderson and Jessie Heggie in steer wrestling while Mike Mori went in as a heeler. Chase Erickson took on bareback riding while his brother Mac Erickson went in both bareback and bull riding. Mac was the only Men's team member to make his first showing at the CNFR.
The fall of 2004 brought several new faces to the Western Rodeo team. Indian National Finals Barrel Racing Champion Shanna Johnson joined the Women's team along with Chase and Cotton Holt, Tal Michael, Misti Crawford, Libba Lauchner, Amber Overstreet who all hail from Montana. Kit Carney hails from Idaho while Austin Coley comes from Oregon.
With four rodeos behind them, both veterans and newcomers are looking good going into the spring season. Regionally, the Men and Women's teams are 1st in 2nd respectively, with both teams claiming top spots in several events.
Mac Erickson claims the number one spot in bareback riding while sitting second in the All-Around. The Men are evenly spaced in the timed events with Western taking the top spot in all but Tie-Down roping where Tate Dempewolf sits second with Chase Holt a close third. Former MHSRA Steer Wrestling champion Shawn Downing owns the number one spot in steer wrestling while Dempewolf and Matt Robertson sit in the top spot in team
roping for heading and heeling respectively. Mike Mori is a close third in the heeling race.
The Western Women own the barrel racing securing four of the top five spots. Traci Bevans leads the pack in the second spot followed by Shanna Johnson, Tammy Eberline and Whitney Wines. CNFR qualifier Bry Worthern claims the number two spot in Breakaway followed by Megan Lunak sitting third.
The Powerhouse Western Rodeo Team will depend on its experienced team to lead them into the spring season. It's a mature team with a lot of potential talent to go far. The spring looks promising with the Women looking to make a repeat of their CNFR
performance.
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