September 21, 2009
For Immediate Release

For more information: Shane Draper (801) 885-5753
University Marketing & Communications: Erin Spurgeon, (801) 863-6807
Written by: Alex Strickland (801) 863-6351

The Utah Valley University Rodeo team kicked off its season at the Southern Utah University rodeo in Cedar City, Utah, last week with both the men’s and women’s teams taking first place.

Top individual performers on the men’s team included Colton Bair taking first in bareback riding and Jake Woolstenhulme winning the bulldogging (steer wrestling) competition. On the women’s side, Tori Thacker split first and second in breakaway roping and Hilary Bair took second in goat tying.

“We probably have one of the best men’s programs in the nation,” said second-year coach Shane Draper. “And last year was the first year we had a full women’s team, so it’s picked up and we’re doing awesome.”

Draper and his team were on the road to Pocatello, Idaho, Sept. 17-18 for the Rocky Mountain Region 1 rodeo and then Idaho State University’s rodeo. The team’s final rodeo event of the fall season will take place next week in Logan, Utah, from Sept. 25-26 hosted by Utah State University.

The UVU rodeo team competes in the fall and spring, with four rodeos in the fall this year and six in the spring of 2010. And while the team is well on its way to a strong start, it’s the second half that has Draper really excited.

“I expect to have a good fall,” he said, “but I expect in the spring we’ll be really, really tough.”

The men’s team will benefit from the return of two injured cowboys during the second half of the season and the women will have gained that much more experience.

“I think the team will do really well,” Draper said.

For more information on the UVU rodeo team, visit www.uvu.edu/rodeo.

###