The Central Wyoming College Rustlers rodeo team braved a weekend of high-stakes competition at the Gillette College Rodeo, held March 20–22. While the weekend was marked by a mix of stellar individual performances and tough breaks in the final rounds, the Rustlers proved they remain a formidable force in the region.

Highlighting the Leaderboard

Leading the charge for the Rustlers was Chaz Dewey, who delivered a standout performance in Bareback Riding. Dewey's consistency and technique earned him a 5th place overall finish. Joining him in the points for the Bareback event was Eian Smith, who battled through a competitive field to secure 11th place.

In the timed events, the Rustlers continued to find the scoreboard. Cael Espenscheid demonstrated precision in the Team Roping arena, clinching 5th place, while Cole Kreikemeier matched that success in Steer Wrestling, also bringing home a 5th place finish for the green and rust.

Coach's Perspective

Despite the strong start, the final rounds proved to be a test of resilience for the squad. Head Coach Schrock noted that while the momentum was high early on, the "short round" (the finals) presented unexpected challenges.

"We had a pretty decent long round," said Coach Schrock. "We had four of the six guys gather up points but unfortunately things didn't go as planned in the short round. We missed a couple opportunities today and had a little bad luck but they will rebound and be back at it tomorrow. I am really happy for Chaz, he has been working hard all winter and to see him win the long round was no surprise. We will make adjustments where needed this week during practice and travel to Torrington, WY. this weekend for the rodeo hosted by the EWC Lancers."

Looking Ahead

The Rustlers won't have much downtime to dwell on the "bad luck" in Gillette. The team is already back in Riverton, refining their runs and rides in preparation for a quick turnaround. CWC will travel to Torrington, Wyoming, on March 27-29, to compete in the Eastern Wyoming College Lancer Rodeo, looking to turn those missed opportunities into podium finishes.