Laramie River Rendezvous Sold Out Show
The University of Wyoming Rodeo Team put on an impressive performance at the Laramie River Rendezvous, held April 24–26 at the Cliff and Martha Hansen Arena. Every event drew lively crowds and packed stands, including a sold-out Saturday night. The Cowboys and Cowgirls used the excitement of their home rodeo to earn strong results in several events.
By the end of Sunday’s short round, both the UW men’s and women’s teams held onto first place in the Central Rocky Mountain Region standings. This strong finish gives them momentum as they prepare for the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper in June.
This weekend also introduced UW’s new gold and brown bucking chutes, which caught the eye of both fans and competitors. The chutes, showing off the university’s colors, gave the event a fresh look and added excitement to one of the spring’s most anticipated rodeos.
UW athletes qualified for nearly every event in the short round. The home crowd cheered them on throughout, making it one of the most exciting atmospheres of the season.
In barrel racing, Makenzi Scott ran one of the fastest times of the weekend, winning Performance 2 with a 14.57. Her strong showing earned important points for the Cowgirls and allowed her a 2nd place finish for the weekend. Scott has been a steady performer this spring, and her run in Laramie confirmed her place as one of UW’s top timed-event riders.
Traven Sharon also had a standout weekend in the tie-down roping. He posted his fastest run, a 9.1, in the second performance, then came back Sunday to win the championship round. His efficient short-round run brought home the event win for the whole weekend.
Colton Farrow delivered a great performance by finishing first overall in the bareback riding for the weekend. His consistency across all three days kept him at the top of the leaderboard and gained crucial points for the Cowboys. In the saddle broncs, Malcolm Heathershaw secured a second-place finish, making it one of his best finishes this spring. Their combined success this weekend in the roughstock pen helped round out a high-scoring weekend for UW.
In team roping, Treg Thorstenson and Rio Nutter won Performance 2 with a 6.3, one of the best times of the rodeo, which helped them win the entire event for the weekend. Their teamwork and quick runs set the tone for the weekend’s timed events and added to UW’s overall success.
UW also had several athletes qualify in the timed and roughstock events, including saddle bronc riders and steer wrestlers who helped the team stand out on championship Sunday. These results showed the program’s depth and its balance between timed-event and rough-stock talent.
The Laramie River Rendezvous is always one of the most important events on UW’s spring schedule. It gives athletes a rare chance to compete at home in front of classmates, alumni, families and community supporters. This year’s event was even more special as it was the last regional rodeo before CNFR.
With both teams still leading the region, the Cowboys and Cowgirls leave their home arena feeling confident and ready for the national stage. Packed stands, fast times and strong finishes made the 2026 Rendezvous a highlight of UW’s season.
As the team looks ahead to Casper, the message from the weekend is clear: the University of Wyoming is ready to compete at the highest level of college rodeo. The Laramie River Rendezvous was more than just a home event. It showed that the program is hitting its stride at the perfect time.
