Your future, our focus
A learning experience
It’s been a rough ride for the Northwest College Trapper rodeo team as they compete against the top riders in the country at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper this week.
“It could be better,” said NWC head rodeo coach Del Nose.
Only the top three riders in each event get the of competing at the College National Finals Rodeo and NWC is boasting a roster of four cowboys—freshman Bubba Boots in steer wrestling, sophomores Lane Lahaye and Shawn Bird in team roping and Casey Fredericks in bull riding.
As of Tuesday, Boots is ranked 19th for steer wrestling. The First Go Round had him tied for 26th after landing a 14.0. Boots dug Go round to increase his ranking.
“Well, he would have won the round but broke out,” Nose said.
Meanwhile, fellow Trappers Bird and Lahaye didn’t make the catch in the First Go round of team roping. But the duo came back for a 6.5 in the Second Go round, upping their standing to 25th as of Tuesday.
Fredericks didn’t have a qualified ride in the bull riding event.
The Trappers will be back in the CNFR arena on Friday for the final Go Round.
“They all got a good shot, but It’s “not impossible, but not likely” that the Trapper cowboys will rank high at the CNFR, Nose said. But the trip was worthwhile as a learning experience since Boots is only a freshman and will likely return to next year’s CNFR knowing what’s in store from the competition.
“We will just take it a day at a time and start over next year,” Nose said.
Trapper fans unable to make the trip to Casper this week will get a chance to watch the CNFR on ESPN3 later this summer, Nose said.
“If things don’t go as we want, we will march on for next year,” Nose said.