A couple of Powell High School grads saw mixed success at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, as Caden Gines finished 10th for Central Wyoming College in  team roping while Kyle Cheney was unable to score in his three attempts at bull riding for Dodge City Community College.

Gines, alongside his partner Jace Mayfield, started the week with a no score in their first go as 26 duos recorded a time during  team roping.

“Our first steer didn’t go so well, so I knew we had to make the next three count,” Gines said. “It came down to fight or flight. We knew we either had to put both feet in or take them both out and just give up. It just came down to the wire there where I knew we had to get it done.”

Get it done they did.

In the second go around, Gines and Mayfield recorded the second fastest time at 5.2 seconds, helping catapult them up the standings as 22 duos recorded times in the second go.

Another time in the third go of 6.1 seconds helped the duo finish ninth, securing them an overall spot in the top 12 and sending them to the short go on Saturday, June 21.

In the short go, Gines knew that the duo needed a fast time to move up the standings further, so they took a risk to try  earning a better spot.

“It came down to the short round, we had to be really fast,” Gines said. “Took a really fast shot and it just didn’t work out.”

No score meant  Gines and Mayfield finished 10th, but despite not scoring in the short go Gines said he was proud of the finish and the experience as a whole.

“We still ended up 10 in the nation. I’m really blessed to be 10th in the nation, really could be 11th,” Gines said. “It was really awesome. I really can’t describe it. It was just a victory really, even though we didn’t win what we wanted to, it was still a huge victory for me. Friends and family were there, it was just awesome. I couldn’t pick just one part out about it that was bad.”

While Gines was not competing throughout the week he took the time to support Cheney, as one of his longtime friends and supporters was battling through his own competition in the bull riding.

Despite Cheney not recording a score throughout the week, Gines said he was proud to be there alongside his friend each step of the way.

“That was awesome. I wouldn’t have wanted to spend it with anybody else,” Gines said. “Kyle, unfortunately, didn’t do as good as he wanted to due to his shoulder injury, but I was able to be back there and help him and cheer him on, and he was there for every run of mine. He was helping me get my steer out of the chute every time I ran, and I was there for all of his bull rides. It just made me feel a bit more sane having Kyle there … Being with Kyle was really good.”

Both riders now move into the summer which will be filled with more rodeos throughout the region and nation, with Gines thankful for how he got to this point and moving forward into the pro rodeo scene.

“If it wasn’t for my coach, there’s no way I’d be there. Going through his program there at CWC really changed me into the person and the roper I am now. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t even think we would have made the college finals,” Gines said. “My goal from here on out is just to prove to myself that I can be better than 10th in the nation. That starts right now, going with pro rodeo to bigger and better things. The next step after college is pro rodeos, and we’re in the middle of it.”