CNFR Heads Down the Stretch in Casper

It's been an eventful week in Casper with the College National Finals Rodeo, with just short of 400 contestants from around the nation competing. But just the top twelve in each event after three go-rounds qualify for the Championship Round that will be on Saturday night at the Ford Center.

On the ladies' side, Gillette College is leading the team standings and Haiden Thompson has been a big part of that. The Yoder, Wyoming native is in the running for the All-Around Championship and is 9th in the average of the breakaway roping with a 2.2 on Thursday night. She is also 9th in the aggregate in the goat tying, and in that event, two cowgirls from the University of Wyoming are doing quite well. Josie Mousel is in 4th place in the average, and Landry Hauden is in 7th. In the barrel racing, Brylee Grubb of Gillette College moved up to 3rd in the aggregate with a run of 14.29 on Thursday.

For the men, Casper College has 3 guys in the top 7 heading into the last qualifying session on Friday night. James Perrin is first in the average with 240 on 3, Malcolm Heathershaw is 5th in the aggregate, and Easten West is 7th. It's been a tough week for the bullriders, but progress was made on Thursday night as Trace Scarlavai of Mid-Plains College in North Platte, Nebraska turned in an 83.5, so he has covered all 3 and has a gigantic lead in the average. Jerry Gutierrez of Sam Houston State had a rousing 84 in the bull riding on Thursday.

In the steel wrestling, Jacob Wang of the University of Wyoming is 2nd in the average and won the 2nd go-round with a 4.2, which is the best effort of the rodeo far. The Friday perf starts at 7 pm on Friday, with the Championship Short-Go also beginning at 7 pm on Saturday. We have a few pics from Thursday's performance at the Ford Center, and you can see those in our gallery below.