Pictured L-R: Coach Sierra Heinert, Hadley Tate, Libby Berger, Cheyenne VandeStouwe, Dustin Sanchez, Coach Mike Visnieski. **Braylee Ward not pictured.
CASPER, Wyo. – Five total competitors from the SWOSU rodeo program are set to compete at the 2024 College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) held June 9-15 at the Ford Wyoming Center in Casper.
All details of the event, including tickets, times, and streaming options can be found by visiting the official website, www.cnfr.com.
SWOSU Women's Rodeo was crowned the 2024 Central Plains Region Champs for the third time in four years and will send four from the team to compete – Hadley Tate, Libby Berger, Cheyenne VandeStouwe, and Braylee Ward. The team enters the CNFR having won their past three rodeos to close out the regular season. They've won five total this year, out of 10 events, and have finished outside of the top-3 just once.
VandeStouwe claimed the Central Plains Region Women's All-Around title and was the reserve champion (runner-up) in Goat Tying. She will make her second straight appearance at the CNFR after qualifying for the short round last year and finishing seventh in the average.
Meanwhile, a trio of barrel racers – who have each won at least one event this season – will represent SWOSU with Tate, Berger, and Ward all set to ride. Tate too was the region's reserve champion while Berger was fourth and Ward fifth.
Berger was T-15 last year at the CNFR in barrels and will also be making her second trip upcoming. Tate and Ward will both be competing at the national rodeo for the first time.
Dustin Sanchez, the lone cowboy on the CNFR qualifying list, makes his second straight appearance while at SWOSU in bull riding. He ended as the No. 4-ranked rider in the region.
SWOSU Rodeo has a long tradition of success at the CNFR, with six team and 23 individual National Championships to their credit. The latest champion came two years ago (2022) when Sadie Wolaver took home a gold buckle in Barrel Racing.
Last year, the women's team finished in fourth place. They've now finished inside the top-4 in three consecutive years after runner up placings in 2021 and '22.
