CONTESTANTS CLOSER TO CHAMPIONSHIP DREAMS AT COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO

CASPER, Wyo. (June 17, 2025) — After three action-packed days, the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) has moved into night performances where athletes are seeing their dreams of a national title become a possibility.

Each of the competitors here competes in three rounds. Round one finished Monday; round two finished during the day on Tuesday. Round three started Tuesday night and will continue through Friday night’s rodeo. At the conclusion of that performance, the championship final round qualifiers will be decided.

Tuesday night’s crowd was the loudest of any here so far when Casper College’s James Perrin had a solid saddle bronc ride. Perrin, originally from Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, moved to Wyoming to further his education in and out of the arena. He scored 77 Tuesday night to take the overall lead with a total of 240 points on three rides.

Perrin got the Wyoming crowd warmed up for Jacob Wang who is attending the University of Wyoming. Wang, who starts his senior year next fall, completed his steer wrestling run in 5.1 seconds. While it wasn’t the fastest of the night – that belonged to Colten Leech from Sul Ross State University at Alpine, Texas – Wang’s run gave him the fastest total on three runs at 17.1 seconds.

Wang, who grew up in Baker, Montana, is a multi-generation competitor who is following in his father’s footsteps. His father Dean Wang won the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) steer wrestling championship in 1990 competing for Cal Poly State University.

While Jacob Wang is currently in the lead, that is likely to change over the next three nights. But he will be a favorite to advance to Saturday night’s competition and if he won the championship, the NIRA could see a father and son earning titles in the same event 35 years apart.

The women’s goat tying was fast and furious on Tuesday night with two times under seven seconds. Leading the third round is Natalie King from Southern Arkansas University with a 6.6. Kristin Reaves from Sam Houston State University was right behind her with a 6.7.

Southwestern Oklahoma State University’s Cheyenne VandeStouwe has the overall lead with three runs totaling 20.4. King is in second with 21.2.

All these leads are subject to change as Wednesday night’s competitors look for their own space on the leaderboard. The second performance of the CNFR starts at the Ford Wyoming Center at 7 p.m.

National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association athletes from colleges and universities across the country have gathered in Wyoming for the weeklong event which culminates with the crowning of the 2025 national champions on Saturday, June 21.     

Top athletes from 11 geographic regions compete in three rounds with the top 12 cumulative scores or times advancing to championship Saturday to vie for national championships.

CASPER, Wyo.—The following are results from the College National Finals Rodeo, June 17, 2025, courtesy of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Complete results are available at www.cnfr.com

Bareback Riding: (third round leaders) 1, Bryce Eck, Missouri Valley College, 80.5 points. 2, Luke Thrash, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 80. 3, Jence Griffith, Forth Scott Community College (Kan.), 78. 4, Braden Tyrer, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 74. (overall leaders) 1, (tie) Tyrer and Thrash, 234 points each. 3, Eck, 231. 4, Colton Farrow, University of Wyoming, 220.

Breakaway Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Brooke McCully, Chadron State College, 2.1 seconds 2, Makenzie Dowell, Ranger College, 2.3. 3, Sadie Mullins, Cuesta College (Calif.), 2.4. 4. Rayha, Richert, South Dakota State University, 2.5. (overall leaders) 1, Murphy Gaasch, Cochise College (Ariz.), 9.0 seconds. 2, Ashley Henderson, University of West Alabama, 9.8. (on two) 3, McCully, 4.3. 4, Mullins, 4.8.

Tie-down Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Koby Douch, Hill College (Hillsboro, Texas), 8.9 seconds. 2, Tanner Scheevel, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, (Miami, Okla.), 9.5. 3, Garrett Jepson, Central Arizona College, 9.8. 4, Cory Bomhoff, Laramie County Community College (Cheyenne, Wyo.), 10.0.  (overall leaders) 1, Cole Blades, Central Arizona College, 31.8 seconds. 2, Scheevel, 34.0. 3. Jepson, 36.7. 4, Douch, 37.3.

Saddle Bronc Riding: (third round leaders) 1, Montgomery Parsons, Tarleton State University, 80.5 points. 2, James Perrin, Casper College, 77. 3, Tayson Jones, Dickenson University, 76. 4, Drew Bordelon, McNeese State University, 76. (overall leaders) 1, Perrin, 240 points. 2, Parsons, 235. 3, Eastan West, Casper College, 219.5. (on two) 4, Waitley Sharon, Tarleton State University, 166.5.

Steer Wrestling: (third round leaders) 1, Colten Leech, Sul Ross State University (Texas), 4.0 seconds. 2, Landris White, Tarleton State University, 4.5. 3, Christian Cagle, Northwest Mississippi Community College, 4.9. 4, Cole Detton, Montana State University, 5.0. (overall leaders) 1, Jacob Wang, University of Wyoming, 17.1. 2, Detton, 19.6. 3, Wiley Jack Karas, Treasure Valley Community College, (Ore,), 36.8. (on two) 4, White, 8.6.

Goat Tying: (third round leaders) 1, Natalie King, Southern Arkansas University, 6.6 seconds. 2, Kristin Reaves, Sam Houston State University, 6.7. 3, Kassidy Dunagan, Laramie County Community College, (Wyo.) 7.1. 4, Cheyenne VandeStouwe, Southwestern Oklahoma State University, 7.3. (overall leaders) 1, VandeStouwe, 20.4 seconds. 2, King, 21.2. 3, (tie) Sealey Bottom, Cochise College, and Zili Saculla, Sam Houston State University, 22.6 each.

Team Roping: (third round leaders) 1, Slade Wood and Jayse Tettenhorst, Southwest Texas College, 5.1 seconds. 2, Trevor Sorge and Tel Sorenson, Gillette College, 5.7. 3, Caden Gines and Jace Mayfield, Central Wyoming College, 6.1. 4, Cason Richey, Texas Tech University, and Cashton Weidenbener, Weatherford College (Texas). (overall leaders) 1, Richey and Weidenbener, 20.2 seconds. 2, Sorge and Sorenson, 22.9. 3, Cole Trexler and Kyler Erickson, University of Montana-Western, 24.4. (on two) 4, Gines and Mayfield, 11.3.

Barrel Racing: (third round leaders) 1, Emma Ricke, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, 14.20 seconds. 2, (tie) Anneliese McCurry, Montana State University, and Jessica Krambeer, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, 14.40 each. 4, Shantell Brewer, Montana State University, 14.43. (overall leaders) 1, Ricke, 42.86. 2, McCurry, 43.25. 3, Tayler Kent, University of Arizona, 44.46. 4, Molly M. Davis, Blue Mountain Community College (Ore.), 45.53.

Bull Riding: (third round leaders-two rides) 1, Dakota Smith, Northwest Mississippi Community College, 83.5 points. 2, Dustin Sanchez, Southwest Oklahoma State University, 79.5. (overall leaders- on two) 1, Trace Scarlavai, Mid-Plains Community College (Neb.) 159. 2, Brock Dean Cooper, Treasure Valley Community College (Ore.), 144. 3, Gavin Knutson, University of Montana-Western, 142.5. (on one) 4, (tie) Jay Rodrigue, Pearl River Community College (Miss.) and Brad Moreno, New Mexico State University, 84 points each.

COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INTERCOLLEGIATE RODEO ASSOCIATION TO TENN TEXAS MEDIA.

Purchase any photos from the College Rodeo Finals by visiting Jackie Jensen Photography
JackieJensenPhotography.com 

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

Tenn Texas Partners