College National Finals Rodeo Kicks off in Casper

The College National Finals Rodeo got off to a rousing start on Sunday in Casper with two sessions of the Bulls, Broncs, and Breakaway. The top 2 teams and the top 4 individuals from each of the regions nationwide earned a spot in the Finals. From the Central Rocky Mountain Region, the University of Wyoming and the Casper College men qualified as a team, while Gillette College and UW were the women's team qualifiers.

In the saddle bronc event from Sunday, the Casper College guys had a pretty good day. James Perrin posted an 82.5 for 2nd place in the 1st go-round for the moment. Easton West of the T-Birds had an 80.5, and Malcolm Heathershaw had a 78.5. Over in the bareback, Colton Farrow of UW had a 70, and there were just 6 qualified efforts in bull riding, with Eli Haga of Mid-Plains leading the way with an 83.

On the ladies' side, Yoder native Haiden Thompson, who competes for Gillette College, had a 2.1 in the breakaway roping. Back in 2021, she was the National High School Champion in goat tying.

There will be a huge slack round on Monday and Tuesday, with the first night performance at the Ford Center on Tuesday night. The championship short-go will be on Saturday night. We have a few pics to pass along from Sunday's action, and you can find them in our gallery below. Enjoy!