CSC cowboys increase lead to 1,365 points

The Chadron State men’s rodeo team fared well this weekend at the Colorado State University rodeo in Fort Collins, Colorado. Led by graduate student Nate McFadden, of Ellsworth, and senior Lane Day, of Bartlett, the cowboys rode away with the team title.

The scoring cowboys for Chadron State put up 405 points, 15 more than runner-up Eastern Wyoming College, Torrington. The Eagles now have 3,995 points for the year, and their lead has increased to 1,365 points. Gillette College is second with 2,630 points and Eastern Wyoming College is third with 2,587.5.

McFadden won the bareback riding scoring 77 and 75 points in the long and short go rounds, respectively. He won the long round and was second in the short go on Sunday.

“I was really confident going into this weekend,” McFadden said. “I’m going to keep moving forward from this event with a positive attitude and keep working hard. I want to try and win the last two rodeos. To prepare for the last rodeos I am going to keep practicing and working hard just the same as I have been. The moral of the team is great. Everyone has a positive attitude and feels confident about our chances of going to the College Finals.”

Day was third in the steer wrestling with times of 5.4 and 5.5 seconds, and fifth in the tie down roping in 11.2 and 12.3. Day also finished third in the all-around cowboy standings.

“I have been craving success, and this weekend I was blessed with it,” Day said. “Our whole team has a goal, and we are working hard for it.”

Justin Kissack, junior of Gillette, Wyoming, also put points on the board for CSC, finishing third in the bareback riding with scores of 71 and 60 points. Colin Dibbern, freshman of Riverdale, was fifth in the saddlebronc riding with scores of 68 and 48.

This is the third team title that the men have taken home in eight rodeos this year. They have taken home runner-up title three times and been third once.

The CSC cowgirls also found success in Colorado, placing two high among 87 entries in the breakaway roping.

Jessie Miller, graduate student of Woodland Park, Colorado, placed second with times of 2.5 and 3.7. Miller was second in the long go and third in the short round. She was also the event’s leading money-winner taking home $852.60.

Kadi McFadden was fourth in 3.1 and 3.9. She tied for 10th in the first go round and fourth in the championship round.

The Eagles will travel to Casper College, Casper, Wyoming, this weekend to compete in the second-to-last rodeo of the regular season.