(Editor's note: CNFR release)
CASPER, Wyo. - Tuesday night could have been called “Ladies Night” at the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) with outstanding competition in all three women’s events. Belgrade's Paige Rasmussen, competing for Montana State University in goat tying, took the third-round lead with a time of 6.3 seconds. She has the overall lead with 18.9 on three runs. Her slowest run so far in Casper is 6.6 seconds.
Rasmussen is a sophomore psychology major who competes in four college rodeo events. Her sister Shelby, a senior, also competes in four events for the MSU Bobcat rodeo team.
Taylor Lawson, a sophomore business major from New Waverly, Texas, set a CNFR record in breakaway roping on Tuesday night.
Lawson, who is competing at her first CNFR and representing Southwest Texas Junior College (SWTJC), was the first breakaway roper to compete Tuesday night. She roped her calf in a blistering 1.6 seconds.
That record-setting run leads the third round of breakaway competition which continues through Friday night. She also has the third-fastest overall time at 16.8 seconds on three runs, but after a disappointing time of 11.6 in the first round, she will have to wait and see if she is among the top 12 breakaway ropers who compete for the championship on Saturday night.
Lawson’s road to the CNFR was dramatic as the SWTJC women’s team came from behind on the final day of the last rodeo of the season to finish second in the tough National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Southern Region. Lawson is also competing in barrel racing at Casper. She turned in a barrel racing time of 14.42 seconds on Tuesday and is currently ranked fourth overall, although it is still early in the third round.
Lawson won the Texas State High School breakaway championship as a freshman in 2016 and qualified for the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette that year.
The barrel racing competition was quick at the first performance. Bradi Good, a freshman from Abilene, Texas, competing for Weatherford College leads the third round with a time of 14.11 seconds, the second-fastest barrel racing time so far this week in Casper. East Mississippi Community College’s Jaylie Matthews took the overall lead with a total time of 42.70. Matthews of Wynne, Arkansas, is making her first appearance here as a freshman. She tied for fourth in the first round, tied for third in the second round and is currently third in round three.
Third-round competition at the CNFR continues Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Ford Wyoming Center. The performance will also be broadcast live on ESPN3.
Results after Tuesday’s performance
72nd annual College National Finals Rodeo, June 15, 2021 courtesy of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
Complete results are available at www.collegerodeo.com [collegerodeo.com].
Bareback Riding: (third round leaders) 1, Jake Kesl, Gillette College, 76 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Crazy Jack. 2, Chett Dietz, College of Southern Idaho, 72. 3, Waylon Bourgeois, McNeese State University, 71.5. 4. Lucas Samaniego, West Hills College, 69. (overall leaders) 1. Bourgeois, 231 points on three. 2, Kesl, 214. 4, Samaniego, 210. 4, Mitchell Parham, Fresno State University, 191.5.
Tie-Down Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Austin Madison, Mid Plains College, 9.1 seconds. 2, Chasen Thrasher, University of Tennessee – Martin, 10.5. 3, Chadron Coffield, University of Wyoming, 11.2. 4, Collin Palmer, Black Hills State University, 11.3. (overall leaders) 1, Palmer, 35.8 seconds on three. 2, Madison, 35.9. 3, Hiyo Yazzie, Mesalands Community College, 57.4. 4, Thrasher, 20.3 on two.
Breakaway Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Taylor Lawson, Southwest Texas Junior College, 1.6 seconds. 2, Kaitlyn Harwell, New Mexico State University, 2.4. 3, Zoie Bedke, Idaho State University, 2.8. 4, Hailey Hardeman, University of Wyoming, 3.7. (overall leaders) 1, Bedke, 7.9 seconds on three. 2, Brianna Williams, Chadron College, 12.6. 3, Lawson, 16.3. 4, Mckenzie Frizzell, New Mexico State University, 29.8.
Saddle Bronc Riding: (third round leaders) 1, Parker Fleet, Hill College, 80 points on Frontier Rodeo’s Big Syrup. 2, Lachlan Sheppard, West Texas College, . 3, Michael Womack, Panola College, 68.5. 4, Russell Kay, College of Southern Idaho, 57. (overall leaders) 1, Womack, 204.5 points on three. 2, Kay, 199. 3, Sheppard, 140.5 on two. 4, Jack Skavdahl, Casper College, 110 on two.
Steer Wrestling: (third round leaders) 1, Bridger Anderson, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 3.9 seconds. 2, (tie) Riley Westhaver, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, and Grant Peterson, CAPSLO?, 4.0. 4, Colton Struxness, South Dakota State University, 5.4. (overall leaders) 1, Peterson, 23.8 seconds on three. 2, Brek Sanderson, College of Southern Idaho, 35.8. 3, Anderson, 8.4 on two. 4, Westhaver, 16.9 on two.
Goat Tying: (third round leaders) 1, Paige Rasmussen, Montana State University, 6.3 seconds. 2, Lindsey Pulsipher, Montana State University, 6.4. 3, Tori Jacobs, South Dakota State University, 6.8. 4, Mayce Marek, Wharton County Junior College, 6.9. (overall leaders) 1, Rasmussen, 18.9 seconds on three. 2, Marek, 19.7. 3, Kodey Hoss, Weatherford College, 20.3. 4, Maddee Doerr, Cochise College, 20.7
Team Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Jaret Whitman and Teegan Leno, Montana State University, 6.4 seconds. 2, Will Eddleman, Cisco College, and Garrett Jacobs, Sul Ross University, 6.5. 3, JC and LJ Yeahquo, Western Oklahoma State College, 8.0. 4, Stran Morris, Western Oklahoma State College, and Kolton White, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 10.2. (overall leaders) 1, Yeahquo and Yeahquo, 20.8 seconds on three. 2, Eddleman and Garrett, 32.4. 3, Morris and White, 37.2. 4, Whitman and Leno, 17.8 on two.
Barrel Racing: (third round leaders) 1, Bradi Good, Weatherford College, 14.11 seconds. 2, Abby Hepper, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 14.15. 3, Jaylie Matthews, East Mississippi Community College, 14.20. 4, Katelyn Hobbie, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 14.39. (overall leaders) 1, Jaylie Matthhews, East Mississippi Community College, 42.70. 2, Abby Hepper, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 42.92. 3, Bradi Good, Weatherford College, 43.51. 4, Taylor Lawson, 43.82.
Bull Riding: (third round leaders – two rides) 1, Mason Ward, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 73.5 points on Triple V Rodeo’s Greystone. 2, Koby Jacobson, Midplains Community College, 68.5. (overall leaders – on two) 1, Holden Moss, Three Rivers College, 147. (on one) 2, Cole Skender, Three Rivers College, 84.5. 3, Quinten Taylor, Casper College, 79.5. 4, Cullen Teller, Tarleton State University, 78.
