CSC bareback rider clinches trip to nationals

That was determined this past weekend at the Casper College rodeo. He scored 69 points on each of his barebacks to finish fourth in the event and now has 840 points for the season.

The regional leader for the year is Chance Ames of Sheridan College. He has 1,060 points after chalking up another first at Casper. With the final rodeo of the season on tap at the University of Wyoming this weekend, there’s no way Moon can catch Ames.

But neither can any of the other bareback riders earn enough points to keep Moon from placing second.

Things are more muddled in the regional steer wrestling standings. Three Chadron State cowboys are still in contention to qualify for nationals, but it’s still a five-man race.

Chadron State senior Prestyn Novak of Newell, South Dakota, took third in the dogging at Casper. He was ninth in the first go-round in 6.2 seconds and the runner-up in the finals in 5.1 seconds. He’s now fifth in the overall standings with 390 points. That’s 80 points behind co-leaders Taylor Davidson and Thomas Davis, both of Central Wyoming College.

Two more Chadron State cowboys also are still in the running for one of the three steer wrestling tickets to Nationals. After not adding to their totals last weekend, Devin Dibbern of Riverdale, Nebraska, is third with 445 points and Kalane Anders of Bayard, Nebraska, is fourth with 410.

Novak also was sixth in tie down roping at Casper after tying for fifth in the first go-round in 10.3 seconds and placing fourth in the finals Sunday in 9.1 seconds.

Chadron State contestants also earned fourth places at the Casper rodeo.

CSC senior Lance Neuerburg of Kersey, Colorado, and his brother, Drew, who attends Northeastern Junior College at Sterling, Colorado, were fourth in team roping at Casper at 12.3 and 12.0 seconds, and senior Brandi Cwach of Geddes, South Dakota, was fourth in goat tying with runs of 6.4 and 7.0 seconds.

Two more CSC cowboys, Cody Trump of Merriman, Nebraska, and Cole Retchless of Bridgeport, Nebraska, were among the 10 finalists in their events at Casper. Trump tied for fifth in the first go-round of saddle bronc riding with 68 points and Retchless was eighth in steer wrestling in 6.0 seconds, but neither received a mark in the finals.