COLLEGE NATIONAL FINALS RODEO COMPLETES FIRST ROUND OF COMPETITION

CASPER, Wyo. (June 15, 2026) — Reigning national champion barrel racer Acey Pinkston took her first step toward back-to-back College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) titles Tuesday. She was the first athlete to compete when action began at 7 a.m. Riding her 13-year-old gelding that she calls “Bullet”, the Weatherford College senior stopped the clock in 13.62 seconds. The closest any other cowgirl could come to her time was 13.77 seconds by Devin Young of Texas A&M University.

Pinkston started last year’s CNFR by winning the first round. After starting 2026 in the same way, she’s a step closer to a repeat title. She is ranked 23^rd in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association and is on a quest to qualify for her first National Finals Rodeo.

A couple of business administration student athletes from Northwestern Oklahoma State University dominated the first round of steer wrestling. Sophomore Tydon Tsosie, who is a former Indian National Finals Rodeo champion from New Mexico, took first place with a time of 3.7 seconds. His teammate Emmett Edler, a graduate student from Iowa, was second with 3.8. Both rode Edler’s horse named D1.

In just its second year fielding a rodeo team, North Dakota’s Bismarck State College is making their presence known in Casper with six qualifiers in seven events. Recent graduate Tyler Hansen won the first round of tie-down roping with a time of 8.4 seconds. His freshman teammate and younger brother, Kale Hansen, finished seventh. Both brothers study Instrumentation and Control Technology. Another teammate, Parker Sandstrom tied for third in round one of steer wrestling. A fourth, T. J. Andrews, is sitting sixth overall in bareback riding.

The goat tying action was fast and furious with two runs under six seconds. University of Wyoming junior Josie Mousel was the round winner with a time of 5.8 seconds. The ag communications major’s her best time at last year’s CNFR was 5.7. Lundberg, a freshman from California wearing the purple vest of Tarleton State University (Texas), placed second with a time of 5.9. The 2023 National High School Goat Tying Champion is majoring in biomedical science and has future plans to attend medical school.

The fastest time of round one in team roping was 5.0 seconds by Walker Smith of Sam Houston State University and Cade Sandstrom of Southwest Texas College. The freshmen are both majoring business.     

Round two for the more than 425 college rodeo athletes from 12 geographic regions competing here this year ends during the day on Tuesday. The first performance starts Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. where round three begins.

Round three continues at evening performances Wednesday through Thursday. The top 12 cumulative scores or times advance to Championship Saturday to vie for national championships.

CASPER, Wyo.—The following are results from the College National Finals Rodeo, June 15, 2026, courtesy of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. Complete results are available at www.cnfr.com.

First Round winners:

 Barrel Racing: 1, Acey Pinkston, Weatherford College, 13.62 seconds. 2, Devin Young, Texas A&M University, 13.77. 3, (tie) Anneliese McCurry, Montana State University, and Addison Morgan, Texas Tech University, 13.89 each. 5, Lauryn Motley, Sam Houston State University, 13.99. 6, (tie) Piper Cordes, Montana State University, and Brylee Grubb, Gillette College, 14.00 each. 8, Raegan Chance, Northwest Mississippi Community College, 14.01.

Tie-down Roping: 1, Tyler Hansen, Bismarck State College, 8.4 seconds. 2, Clint Southworth, University of Tennessee-Martin, 8.8. 3, Dalton Porch, Tarleton State University, 9.0. 4, Cort Boyd, Southwest Texas College, 9.3. 5, Coleman Canton, Southwest Texas College, 9.9. 6, Jake Deveraux, University of Montana Western, 10.1. 7, Kale Hansen, Bismarck State College, 10.2. 8, (tie) Ryan Wells, Cal Poly State University – San Luis Obispo, and Blake Carter, Southeast Oklahoma State University, 10.4 each.

Steer Wrestling: 1, Tyson Tsosie, Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 3.7 seconds. 2, Emmett Edler, Northwest Oklahoma State University, 3.8. 3, (tie) Parker Sandstrom, Bismarck State College, and Andrew Morian, Clarendon College, 3.9 each. 5, (tie) Ryder Gaasch, Montana State University, and Sam Shofner, Hill College, 4.2. 7, Trey Greenhalgh, Snow College, 4.6. 8, (tie) Dalton Porch, Tarleton State University; Hadley White, Texas Tech University; and Clay Tom Hurt, Sam Houston State University, 4.9.

Goat Tying: 1, Josie Mousel, University of Wyoming, 5.8 seconds. 2, Faith Lundberg, Tarleton State University, 5.9. 3, Alyssa Clark, Sam Houston State University, 6.0. 4, (tie) Michaela McCormick, Montana State University; Quincy Morgan Montoya, New Mexico Junior College; Justise Jones, Colorado Mesa University; Alyssa Gary, McNeese State University; 6.1. 8, (tie) Faith Marshall, Montana State University and Addyson Derr, Missouri Valley College, 6.2.

Team Roping: 1, Walker Smith, Sam Houston State University and Cade Sandstrom, Southwest Texas Junior College, 5.0 seconds. 2, Heston Harrison, Southwest Oklahoma State University and Nick Lovins, Garden City Community College, 5.2. 3, Hunter Helton and Jeryn Ellerd, Weatherford College, 5.7. 4, (tie) Jett Stewart, and Belden Cox, Weatherford College; and Marcus Marriott, Blue Mountain Community College and Sam Saunders, Treasure Valley Community College, 6.0. 6, Wyatt Jensen and Preston Bird, Montana State University, 6.3. 7, (tie) Denton Parish and Brock Borkman, Weatherford College, 6.4. 7, Blake Van Stavern and Dean Sherbo, Allan Hancock College, 6.4.

Second Round Leaders:

Bareback Riding: 1, Carson Hildre, Clarendon College, 78.75 points. 2, Jason Wilson, Missouri Valley College, 77.75. 3, (tie) Clay Greenslade, Tarleton State University, and T.J. Andrews, Bismarck State College, 77.

Breakaway Roping: 1, Sierra Hilgenkamp, Sheridan College, 1.9 seconds. 2, Quincy Morgan-Montoya, New Mexico Junior College, 2.0. 3, Madison Scott, Fort Hays State University, 2.2. 4, (tie) Ivy Bone, University of West Alabama and Ellie Thurgood, College of Southern Idaho, 2.3 each.

Saddle Bronc Riding: 1, Dane McPhall, Fort Scott Community College, 81.5 points. 2,, Bryett Larsen, Western Texas College, 79.75. 3, Brody Froelich, Dickinson State University, 79. 4, Colby Smith, Clarendon College, 78.25.

Bull Riding: (two rides) 1, Mossy Waite, Treasure Valley Community College, 80.25. 2, Brock Cooper, Treasure Valley Community College, 71.25.

Provided Courtesy of Susan Kanode / CNFR to Tenn Texas Radio & Media