Men’s rodeo team ropes big win in Torrington

The Chadron State College men’s and women’s rodeo teams began the Central Rocky Mountain Region’s spring rodeo circuit on a strong foot this weekend at the Eastern Wyoming College rodeo in Torrington. Chadron State’s Prestyn Novak, sophomore of Newell, South Dakota, and Clayton Van Aken, graduate student of Descanso, California, finished first and second in the all-around cowboy standings, respectively.

“I hope to keep the ball rolling and to carry the success into the remainder of the spring rodeos,” Novak said. “I had high expectations and drew the right stock to win on and made use of them. My team roping partner did a great job on his end and made my job a lot easier. I need to keep practicing hard to give myself a chance at making the college finals.”

Novak won the tie-down roping and Van Aken earned runner-up, making runs of 9.3 seconds and 10.5 in the first round, respectively, and runs of 10 flat for both in the second go. Van Aken was also the header for the winning entry in team roping, and Novak heeled for the second place entry. Novak put 310 points on the board and Van Aken had 300 in the all-around standings.

“Honestly it was a relief to do well with Trey (Yates, junior of the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming) at the first (rodeo) thus spring. We had heck this fall and both didn’t really have much luck,” Van Aken said. “It was a much needed win. Trey did a great job. I was riding a new horse and honestly didn’t know what was going to happen. The calf roping was a little different. I have been south rodeoing and working on the team roping, and the calf roping has taken a back seat. I just tried to get them tied down. My goals are to do the best I can with what we draw. I have a great partner so I just have to do my job. I want to keep the horses sharp and just keep staying focused.”

Justin Kissack, junior of Gillette, Wyoming, placed high in the bareback riding, scoring 67 points and placing third in the first go-round and earning 64 points to take second place in the second go, putting him first in the average. Also in the bareback riding, Nate McFadden, senior of Elsemere, had a no-score in the first go-round, but put the high score of the weekend on the board in the second go-round with 73 points, putting him sixth in the average.

In the steer wrestling, Devin Dibbern, freshman of Riverdale, had runs of 6.1 and 6.9 to put him fourth in both go-rounds and third overall. And in the bull riding, Chasen Cole, sophomore of Hermosa, South Dakota, won the first go with 81 points to get him to the finals. He had a no-time in the finals but place second in the average.

The men’s team scored an impressive 815 points to win the championship by more than 400 points, putting their team score at 3,095 points on the year. The CSC cowboys have 887.5 points more than the runner-up team, Eastern Wyoming College.

The Chadron State cowgirls also found success in Torrington, placing in goat tying and breakaway roping.

In the goat tying, Brandi Cwach, sophomore of Geddes, South Dakota, won the average after winning both go-rounds with times of 7.0 and 7.1. Shelby Winchell, graduate student of Scottsbluff, had times of 7.6 and 7.3, placing third and second in the first and second go, respectively. She placed third in the average.

Elsie Fortune, freshman of Interior, South Dakota, had runs of 3.2 and 3.4 in the first and second go, respectively, to finish fourth in the breakaway roping average.

The Chadron State rodeo team will travel to Gillette College this weekend for the next rodeo in the Central Rocky Mountain Region.