Months of practice and learning helped the Trapper rodeo teams start their spring season strong in their first competition since October.

The team went on the road to Bozeman for two competitions over a four-day period that saw the men’s team place first and second. The women’s team placed fifth during the second session.

“The practices that we had really sharpened the kids up,” Trapper rodeo coach Del Nose said. “I am really excited about the results and how the kids performed.” 

Over the winter, Nose said he brought in a rodeo school that included some professional circuit competitors and that helped teach the Trappers about professional life. Nose said his group listened.

A two-day session kicked off the weekend on April 7 and 8, as the Trapper men won the team title finishing with 760 points, 140 points ahead of hosts Montana State University (MSU).

Coming out on top for Northwest was a duo of freshmen, Sylais York and Spencer Gordon, who won the team roping with a final time of 15.5 seconds.

Freshman Logan Smith placed second in tie down roping with a time of 20.4, and York took third overall in tie down roping with a 20.6.

Sophomore Paden Woolstenhulme also starred during the first competition.

He finished third in the all-around with 165 points, third in the steer wrestling with a 13.7 and fourth in the team roping with fellow sophomore Hagen Wallace with a time of 22.2.

“Paden [Woolstenhulme] is doing really well.  He has moved up to second overall in all-around,” Nose said.

For the women, freshman Arianna Ennis had a time of 4.2 seconds on the first day of breakaway roping but did not place. Freshman Kinzie Castagno had a time of 15.47 in barrel racing but did not place on day two.

The Trappers continued their strong start to the spring season on April 9 and 10 as they placed second with 570 points. That result was just 20 points behind host MSU.

Woolstenhulme again performed strong as he took second in the all-around with 280 points. That included placing third in tie down roping with a 19.1 and third in steer wrestling with a 12.2.

Smith placed third in the all-around with 180 points. That included a second place finish in tie down roping with a time of 18.6.

Sophomore Sterling Rogers placed second in bull riding with a score of 73.

Ennis competed with freshman Nolan Burrill to place fifth in the team roping.

Nose said that the women’s team is a diamond in the rough.  The women made times just outside placing, but they are improving, he said.

After those two competitions, the men’s team moved into fourth place of the Big Sky standings and significantly reduced the gap between them, third place Miles Community College and second place University of Montana, Western.

Nose said he thinks that the team has a good chance to pass those two teams, but it will be difficult to catch the MSU team, which is 1,600 points ahead of second place.

“The guys just want to keep their heads down and stay focused,” Nose said. “They are dialed in to go to the College National Finals Rodeo,  and they have a great shot.”