RANGELY I The Colorado Northwestern Community College Spartan rodeo team wrapped up its fall season in Logan, Utah, at the Utah State University Invitational, but some members turned in impressive performances before riding off into the sunset for the season.
Ten schools from the Rocky Mountain Region of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) competed in torrential downpours at the Cache County Fairgrounds, and a handful of CNCC athletes competed well despite the weather, proving that it’ll take more than a little rain to slow down a Spartan.
Bull rider Colby Demo continued his riding streak as the only cowboy in the region to successfully ride every bull he has attempted this season. It is no surprise that he has now moved into the No. 1 ranking in the region, but he is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation as well.
Bull rider Tyler Stueve also put his first regional points on the board this weekend, riding his first round bull to a fourth-place finish.
Bareback riders Dax Koskie and Colton Onyett continue to be consistent point earners for the CNCC men’s team.
Koskie placed fourth over the weekend with Onyett placing fifth. Onyett currently sits No. 2 in the Rocky Mountain Regional Standings with Koskie in fourth. They rank nationally in sixth and eighth places, respectively.
Spartan veteran Jessalyn Gingrich put together a smoking-fast run of 3.2 seconds in the breakaway roping to place third in the first round and also qualified for the championship round with partner Karlee Worthen in the team roping.
Goat tying specialist Josie Moody continues to place consistently in the goat tying event with a sixth-place finish. She currently sits sixth in the region. Her sophomore sister, Teasha, is currently fourth in the region and ranked 14th in the national standings.
Other regional/national-standing Spartans include Brody Adams, who is third in team roping in the region and ranked 11th in the nation, and Wade Grimshaw, ranked seventh in the region and 24th nationally in steer wrestling as well as fifth in the region and 19th nationally in team roping.
The CNCC men’s team is currently ranked No. 2 in the Rocky Mountain Regional Standings behind perennial powerhouse College of Southern Idaho. The Spartan men are currently ranked sixth nationally in the NIRA standings.
The Spartan women are currently ranked sixth in the region and they have amassed more points in a fall season than ever before.
CNCC rodeo competition will resume with the spring season, beginning at the Snow College Stampede on Feb. 27-28.
