CNFR SETS FIELD FOR CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

CASPER, Wyo. (June 20, 2025) — The 2025 edition of the College National Finals Rodeo at the Ford Wyoming Centre in Casper is winding down with just the Championship Saturday final round to determine this year’s national champions left in the competition.

There is a reason that Missouri Valley College in Marshall is known as “Bareback Riding U.” Many stand-out competitors have gotten their start there and judging by the results at this year’s CNFR, that tradition continues. Ty Pope won the national championship for Missouri Valley in 2022 and the school has had several others through the years.

They are looking good for another champion this year with three athletes advancing to Saturday night’s championships. Kooper Heimburg, the leader of the pack, got on his third horse here on Friday and won the third round with an 81.5-point effort Brookman Rodeo’s Lunatic Blood. That also put him second overall with a total of 241.0 on three rides. Cooper Filipek from Wyoming’s Gillette College has a half-point edge over Heimburg in a really close race.

After Tyler Calhoun stopped the clock in the tie-down roping in 10.1 seconds on Friday night, Southwest Texas Junior College at Uvalde took over the top two spots in that event. Slade Wood, who won the team roping here in 2023, is tied with Calhoun, his teammate. They each have a total of 29.6 seconds on three runs and they are both riding the same horse.

Calhoun won the first round on “Tater Tot,” with a time of 8.3 seconds. Wood won the second round on the sorrel gelding with an 8.1. Tater Tot was a rescue horse that the Calhouns liked the look of, but weren’t sure if he would make it as a tie-down horse. He has more than proven his worth here this week.

“My dad was very excited when we won the first two rounds on him,” Calhoun said. “That horse is very special to me and for him to do as well as he did here, that’s a testament as to just how good he is.”

– Tyler Colhoun

Acey Pinkston, another athlete from Southwest Texas Junior College is having a lot of success at this year’s CNFR. Pinkston won the first round of barrel racing with a 14.03-second run. She had a time of 14.29 in the second round, and then made her third and fastest run of the rodeo on Friday night. Riding her great gelding “Bullet,” Streakinfrenchbullet, they had the fastest time of the week to win the third round with a 14.01. She took command of the overall standings with three runs that totaled 42.33.

Adyson Wright from Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Oregon, finished second in the round with a 14.09 and is second overall with 42.86 seconds.

Six bull riders were successful in round 3. Two of them rode all three of their preliminary bulls including Gavin Knutson from the University of Montana Western who scored 79 points on Friday night. He has a total of 221.5 points and will start Saturday’s championship round in second place behind Trace Scarlavai from Nebraska’s Mid-Plains Community College.

Saturday night’s championships start at 7 p.m. where individual event, men’s and women’s all-around, and men’s and women’s team titles will be awarded.

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CASPER, Wyo.—The following are results from the College National Finals Rodeo, June 20, 2025, courtesy of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Complete results are available at www.cnfr.com

Bareback Riding: (third round winners) 1, Kooper Heimberg, Missouri Valley College, 81.5 points. 2, Bryce Eck, Missouri Valley College, 80.5. 3, Luke Thrash, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 80. 4, (tie) Blayn Hughston, Western Texas College, and Jence Griffith, Forth Scott Community College (Kan.), 78 each. 6, Jason Wilson, Missouri Valley College, 77. 7, Cooper Filipek, Gillette College, 76.5. 8, Wyatt Wood, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 76.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Filipek, 241.5 points. 2, Heimburg, 241. 3, Kash Martin, McNeese State University (La.) 236.5. 4, (tie) Braden Tyrer and Luke Thrash, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 234 each. 6, Will Norstrom, Western Texas College, 233.5. 7, Mason Yancy, Panola College (Texas), 233.5. 8, Bradlee Miller, Sam Houston State University (Texas), 232. 9, (tie) Eck and Jackson Lunn, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.), 231 each. 11, Gavin French, Texas A&M University, 230. 12, Jason Wilson, Missouri Valley College, 225.5.

Breakaway Roping: (third round winners) 1, Jill White, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 1.8 seconds. 2, Taylor Raupe, Coffeyville Community College (Kan.), 1.9. 3, (tie) Carlee Martinez, Southwest Texas College, and Hannah Giger, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 2.0. 5, (tie) Brooke McCully, Chadron State College, and Staheli Adams, Gillette College, 2.1. 7, (tie) Shacie Marr, Eastern New Mexico University; Rylee George, Texas A&M University-Commerce; and Haiden Thompson, Gillette College, 2.2.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Kate Eiland, Pearl River Community College (Miss.), 7.3 seconds. 2, Hannah Giger, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 7.4. 3, George, 7.7. 4, Alissa Erickson, Cisco College (Texas), 8.3. 5, Murphy Gaasch, Cochise College (Ariz.), 9.0. 6, Jordyn McNamee, University of Wyoming, 9.2. 7, Ashley Henderson, University of West Alabama, 9.8. 8, Jacelyn Frost, Tarleton State University, (Texas), 16.7. 6. 9, Sydney Berquist, Montana State University, 17.6. 10, Cassidy Bradshaw, New Mexico State University, 19.6. (on two) 11, Amy Ohrt, Wharton County Junior College (Texas), 4.1. 12, Marr, McCully and Thompson, 4.3.

Tie-down Roping: (third round winners) 1, Blake Tatham, Northeast Oklahoma A&M College, 8.3 seconds. 2, Taten Erickson, Cochise College (Ariz.), 8.6. 3, Koby Douch, Hill College (Texas), 8.9. 4, Jett Van Biezen, Idaho State University, 9.0. 5, Tanner Scheevel, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, 9.5. 6, Jayden Broussard, Panola College (Texas), 9.7. 7, (tie) Garrett Jepson, Central Arizona College, and Wyatt Jensen, Montana State University, 9.8 each.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Slade Wood, Southwest Texas College, 29.6 seconds. 2, Tyler Calhoun, Southwest Texas College, 29.6. 3, Broussard, 30.4. 4, Brey Yore, South Plains College (Texas), 30.9. 5, Cole Blades, Central Arizona College, 31.8. 6, Scheevel, 34.0. 7. Jepson, 36.7. 8, Douch, 37.3. 9, Aaron Champneys, Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.), 37.8. 10, Tatham, 39.3. 11, Kota Wilhite, University of West Alabama, 40.0. 12, Drake Foutch, Iowa Central Community College, 42.4.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (third round winners) 1, Montgomery Parsons, Tarleton State University, (Texas), 80.5 points. 2, Blake Steuck, Fort Scott Community College (Kan.), 78.5. 3, (tie) Zane Magner, Fort Scott Community College, and Coleman Shalbetter, Tarleton State University, (Texas), 77.5 each. 5, (tie) James Perrin, Casper College, and Jett Williams, Fort Scott Community College (Kan.) 77 each. 7, Tayson Jones, Dickenson University, 76. 8, Brady Irvine, Garden City Community College (Kan.), 74.5.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Perrin, 240 points. 2, Parsons, 235. 3, Shalbetter, 233.5. 4, Steuck, 231.5. 5, Magner, 228.5. 6, (tie) Bailey Small, Tarleton State University (Texas), and Malcolm Heathershaw, Casper College, 225. 8, Irvine, 222.5. 9, Eastan West, Casper College, 219.5. 10, Byron Christiansen, Utah State University Eastern, and John Allen, Fort Scott Community College, 218.5. 12, Chance Frost, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 211.

Steer Wrestling: (third round winners) 1, Colten Leech, Sul Ross State University (Texas), 4.0 seconds. 2, Sam Carson, Utah Valley University, 4.1. 3, (tie) Carson Ball, Missouri Valley College; Kyler Morgan, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and Landris White, Tarleton State University, 4.5 each. 6, Cole Gerhart, Montana State University, 4.8. 7, Christian Cagle, Northwest Mississippi Community College, 4.9. 8, Cole Detton, Montana State University, 5.0.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Will Collier, Northwest Mississippi Community College, 14.4 seconds, 2, Cameron Haumea, Sul Ross State University (Texas), 15.9. 3, Jacob Wang, University of Wyoming, 17.1.4, Cole Detton, Montana State University, 19.6. 5, Jace Mayfield, Central Wyoming College, 20.3. 6, Nathan Duvall, Conners State College (Okla.), 22.5. 7, (tie) Nate Clark, New Mexico State University, and Mitch Detton, Montana State University, 24.5 each. 9, Trace Harris, Texas A&M University-Commerce, 26.2. 10, Clay Tom Hurt, Sam Houston State University, 26.9. 11, Hadly Erickson, Bismarck State College, 27.7. 12, Wiley Jack Karas, Treasure Valley Community College, (Ore,), 36.8.

Goat Tying: (third round winners) 1, Josie Mousel, University of Wyoming, 5.7 seconds. 2, Haiden Thompson, Gillette College, 6.0. 3, (tie) Tori Brower, Tarleton State University (Texas); Jacee Graff, Weatherford College (Texas), and Madalyn Richards, Texas A&M University, 6.2 each. 6, (tie) Tavy Jo Leno, University of Montana-Western; Ashley Barratt, Utah Valley University, and Samantha Donovan, Southern Utah University, 6.3 each.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Brower, 18.5 seconds. 2, Richards, 18.9. 3, Graff, 19.3. 4, (tie) Maggie Usher, Cal Poley San Luis Obispo; Parker McIntyre, Panhandle State University (Okla.); Barratt, 19.4 each. 7, Mousel, 20.1. 8, (tie) Cheyenne VandeStouwe, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, and Joanna Hammett, University of West Alabama, 20.4 each. 10, Faith Marshall, Montana State University, 20.6. 11, Landry Haugen, University of Wyoming, 20.7. 12, Jaysee Jones, Dickenson State University (N.D.), 20.9.

Team Roping: (third round winners) 1, Cael Stratton and Garrett Jepson, Central Arizona College, 4.6 seconds. 2, Rowdy Jones, Western Oklahoma State College, and Case Phillips, Murray State College (Okla.), 5.0. 3, Slade Wood and Jayse Tettenhorst, Southwest Texas College, 5.1. 4, (tie) Brody Webb and Clay Hayden, Southern Arkansas University; and Cutter Cain, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Dace Morris, Western Oklahoma State College, 5.4 each. 6, (tie) Will Cutler, Idaho State University, and Hayden Roundy, Utah Valley University; Jacob Walters, Texas Tech University, and Jeryn Ellerd, Howard County Junior College (Texas); and Trevor Sorge and Tel Sorenson, Gillette College, 5.7 each.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Cason Richey, Texas Tech University, and Cashton Weidenbener, Weatherford College, 20.2 seconds. 2, Jacob Walters and Jeryn Ellerd, 21.5. 3, Clay Helm and Kash Reynolds, Casper College, 22.5. 4, Sorge and Sorenson, 22.9. 5, Cole Trexler and Kyler Erickson, University of Montana-Western, 24.4. 6, McCrae Fillmore and Wyatt Rindlisbacher, Snow College (Utah), 30.8. 7, Cael Hilzendeger, Bismarck State College (N.D.) and Ryan Shepherd, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.), 36.0. (on two) 8, Brody Webb and Hayden Clay, Southern Arkansas University, 10.8. 9, Cain and Morris, 11.1. 10, Caden Gines and Jace Mayfield, Central Wyoming College, 11.3. 11, Colter Reed Snook, Northwest Oklahoma State University, and Cale Morris, Western Oklahoma State College, 13.2. 12, Lan Fuhrer and Trey Frank, South Dakota State University, 13.5.

Barrel Racing: (third round winners) 1, Acey Pinkston, Southwest Texas College, 14.01 seconds. 2, Adyson Wright, Treasure Valley Community College, 14.09. 3, Maklee Larsen, Utah State University Eastern, 14.12. 4, Laney Hoffman, Southeast Oklahoma State University, 14.13. 5, Jayci Byler, Sam Houston State University (Texas), 14.14. 6, Tycie Phalen, Dickenson State College (N.D.), 14.15. 7, Emma Ricke, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 14.20. 8, Casey Mathis, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 14.26.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Pinkston, 42.33 seconds. 2, (tie) Wright and Ricke, 42.86. 4, Phalen, 42.89. 5, Grubb, 42.95. 6, Mathis, 43.06. 7, Byler, 43.19. 8, Anneliese McCurry, Montana State University, 43.25. 9, Larsen and Annie Alexander, New Mexico State University, 43.69. 11, Emma Jenson, Fresno State University, 43.73. 12, Braylee Ward, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 43.84.

Bull Riding: (third round winners-six rides) 1, Jerry Gutierrez, Sam Houston State University (Texas), 84 points. 2, (tie) Dakota Smith, Northwest Mississippi Community College, and Trace Scarlavai, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.), 83.5 each. 4, (tie) Dustin Sanchez, Southwest Oklahoma State University, and Lane Vaughn, Western Texas College, 79.5 each. 6, Gavin Knutson, University of Montana Western, 79.

(finals qualifiers) 1, Scarlavai, 242.5 points. 2, Knutson, 221.5. (on two) 3, Vaughn, 157.5. 4, Brock Dean Cooper, Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.), 144. (on one) 5, Gutierrez, Brad Moreno, New Mexico State University, and Jay Rodrigue, Pearl River Community College, (Miss.), 84 each. 8, (tie) Hayden Welsh, Odessa College (Texas), and Smith, 83.5 each. 10, Eli Higa, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.), 83. 11, (tie) Lennon Cook, Three Rivers College (Mo.), and Chris Staley, Northwest College (Wyo.), 80 each.

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HOW TO WATCH CNFR?

CNFR 2025 Streaming LIVE on ESPN3

June 17–21 | 7 PM (Mountain Time) Nightly

Official performances ONLY – slack is not streamed!

This is the ONLY official stream.

If it’s not ESPN3, it’s a scam. Don’t fall for fake links!

Read all notes & instructions carefully below before tuning in.

Notes:

* Download the ESPN app on your streaming device

* MUST HAVE AN ESPN SUBSCRIPTION WITH YOUR CABLE COMPANY, TV PROVIDER, OR APP SERVICE

* Each night’s performance will be available to watch for 30 days

𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨:

1. Download the ESPN app – it’s FREE – You can download the ESPN app on your smart phone or preferred streaming device (tablet/iPad) OR go to ESPN.com on your computer.

2. GO TO THE WATCH PAGE ON YOUR COMPUTER OR ESPN APP- When prompted, use your provider’s sign in – your provider must offer ESPN

3. Navigate to the search bar within type in ‘Rodeo’.

4. Scroll through the search results and select ‘CNFR’ to access all the thrilling college rodeo action.

CNFR FACT SHEET

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