Rodeo ropes into spring season

The Ute Mountain Rodeo team started its spring season with their first rodeo in Cortez on March 30-31.

On April 6-7, the team traveled to Kiowa for competition.

Day one results for the junior high team in Cortez saw some impressive scores.

In barrel racing, Cassie Finley was sixth with a score of 16.182. Shelby Fullmer placed ninth, 16.509; and, Bailee Karo, 10th, 16.754.

Goat tying had Finley, fourth, 13.69; and, Fullmer, sixth, 16.42.

In pole bending, it was Fullmer, seventh, 24.949; Finley, 12th, 27.35; and, Karo, 14th, 29.831. Ribbon roping had Finley and Ryley Beach win at a score of 12.1.

On day two, barrel racing, it was Fullmer, seventh, 16.524; Karo, eighth 17.058; and, Finley, 12th, 21.175. Goat tying saw Finley take second at 13.22; and, Fullmer, fifth, 17.81.

In pole bending, it was Fullmer, ninth, 23.681; Karo, 10th, 24.138; and, Finley, 13th, 27.582. Ribbon roping it was Fullmer and Cody Huwa winning with a high score of 7.44 Finley and Beach were the runner at a score of 10.31.

At Kiowa, Fullmer took ninth in barrel racing, finishing 19.303. She also took seventh in pole bending at 25.68. The second day, Fullmer was 12th in barrel racing (24.298), seventh in goat tying (15.29) and eighth in pole bending (30.679).

The first day in Cortez for the high school team was a good.

Barrell racing had Emma Reim in 13th (16.968), Cayce Lockhart 14th (17.202) and Jessica Winbourn 15th (19.517).

Jake Cruzan and Taten Koenig placed fourth in dally team roping at 25.85. Reim rode to seventh in pole bending at 22.403. Saddle bronc rider Tanner Lockhart won with an impressive score of 66.

On the second day in bareback riding, Dax Koskie came in second with a score of 57.

Barrel racing saw Cayce Lockhart, 17th, 16.519; Winbourn, 18th, 18.868; and, Reim, 20th, 21.044. Whitney Finley came in eighth in breakaway roping (13.09).

In dally team roping, it was Cruzan and Koenig in second at 8.69, and Wiley Kirks and Keenan Elliott were sixth (17.88).

Reim took 18th in pole bending at 30.334.

The first day in Kiowa, Koskie won the bareback riding event, scoring 66.

Barrel racing had Cayce Lockhart, 18th, 19.515; and, Reim, 29th, 21.092.

In dally team roping, brothers Cade and Riley Van Soelen placed eighth at 27.73.

On the next day of competition, Koskie was second in bareback with a 63.

Barrel racing had Reim, 18th, 19.021; and, Cayce Lockhart, 26th, 20.343.

Dally team roping had Cruzan and Koenig in fifth (9.5), and Cade and Riley Van Soelen in 13th (21.83). Tanner Lockhart scored a first-place tie in saddle bronc with a 69.

The team members will travel to Golden this weekend for two days of competition. It's onto Pueblo for the Ute Mountain Rodeo team April 21-22.