MSU coaches, athletes enjoy emotional weekend back in Worthington Arena
MSU SPORTS INFORMATION
BOZEMAN, Montana – Montana State University rodeo coach Kyle Whitaker was referring to his defending national champion women’s team, but the statement applied to his entire squad.
“Winners run with winners,” he said after the Bobcats swept the men’s and women’s championships at the 2022 MSU Spring Rodeo No. 2 in Bozeman on Sunday. “When you’re watching somebody perform at their very best time after time in practice, and how hard they work at it, that rubs off and makes everybody better.”
It can’t get much better than the Big Sky Region rodeo that finished Sunday, when the MSU men and women each won team titles and Montana State student-athletes won the men’s and women’s all-around competitions. Bobcats won five of the nine events on the average, and seven of the nine during Sunday’s short go-round. That capped a strong two-rodeo weekend in Montana State’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
“I thought it went great,” Whitaker said, “especially the second rodeo. I think we were a little stronger in the men’s side (Saturday and Sunday). In the women’s, it was hard to beat the first rodeo. They were awesome.”
Two Bobcats with national championship aspirations, Paige Rasmussen and Caleb Berquist, continued to dominate their strongest events. Rasmussen won the short go and two-round average in Rodeo No. 2 in goat tying, while Berquist captured both tie-down roping titles as well as all-around honors.
Berquist’s tie-down roping title took a come-from-behind effort, but he likened his mindset to being ‘in the zone’ that athletes occasionally cite.
“Logan Smith (of Northwest College), who was ahead of me coming in here, the kid is very talented and he put some pressure on me for sure,” Berquist said. “Everybody pushes everybody, and that makes you better, but (being) in the zone I knew I had to stay in my own game and I knew if I did my job and played my part I hoped to come out on top. And that’s what I did.”
Whitaker wasn’t surprised, and was pleased with Berquist’s efforts in his two other events.
“I’m really proud of Caleb,” Whitaker said. “He dominates in the tie-down roping and he has for a while. Team roping he’s really good at, and I’m really proud of him in the steer wrestling. When I got here I said, You can make it to the [College National Finals Rodeo] in the steer wrestling. Now he’s making a move where he might be able to do that. He’s got worlds of talent and great work ethic.”
While Berquist finished as all-around runner-up at last summer’s CNFR, Paige Rasmussen won women’s top honors. On Sunday she topped her Saturday time in goat-tying, her best event, by getting back to basics.
“Last night I was happy with my run,” she said, “but not thrilled. I knew I had a few things I needed to smooth out. Today I went back and watched some old videos, and I knew that I had to get off early enough to get my feet under me and get into good position. That’s the key, getting into the right position. I knew I had to be me and had to play my own game. I just had to focus on me and not worry about what anybody else was doing.”
In addition to goat tying dominance in this weekend’s two rodeos, Rasmussen said she found something more important.
“I feel like I was pretty consistent all weekend. I’m really happy with how my horse worked and how I was able to compete on all different goats. I’m really excited for the season to come.”
Bobcat winners were common on Sunday. Kolby Currin won the steer wrestling short go and average, Paige Rasmussen won the short go and average in goat tying, Caleb Berquist won the tie-down roping average and short go, and Chase Runfola won bull riding in both. A pair of Bobcats split barrel racing honors (Tayla Moeykins won the average, Hailey Garrison the short go), while Nate Dearhammer won bareback riding and Sydnee Berquist breakaway roping in Sunday’s short go.
Currin said concentration was important. “This is a pretty electric arena so I just tried to keep it simple, focus on my start, what I’m going to see, then worry about riding my horse and my technique.”
The return of one of MSU’s bellwether events to Worthington Arena impressed both novice and veteran alike. Whitaker was impressed with his first MSU Spring Rodeo. “Everybody told me it’s a great college rodeo, the best one you can go to, and it sure was. Great crowds, great support from the community, it was awesome.”
Kolby Currin, competing in his second MSU Spring Rodeo in the Fieldhouse three years after his first, enjoyed the moment. “This is great,” he said with a wide smile. “The community’s so supportive, it’s awesome.”
All Results:
TEAM AND ALL-AROUND STANDINGS
Rodeo #2 Men’s Team Standings
Score Team
590 Montana State University
Rodeo #2 Women’s Team Standings
Score Team
385 Montana State University
Rodeo #2 Men’s All-Around
Score Competitor School
350 Caleb Berquist Montana State
Rodeo #2 Women’s All-Around
Score Competitor School
215 Hailey Garrison Montana State
AVERAGE
Saddle Bronc Riding
Score Competitor School Team Pts
50/1 Klingler, Carson UMTW 60
Steer Wrestling
9.9 Currin, Kolby James MTSU 60
10.3 Beattie, Logan John MTSU 50
12.2 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 40
12.5 Stensrud, Ethan James UMTW 30
13.6 Berquist, Caleb Shane MTSU 20
13.8 Cathey, Maclain Lyle MTSU 10
Goat Tying
13.6 Rasmussen, Paige Noel MTSU 60
14.4 Brewer, Shantell Eloise MTSU 45
14.4 Schauer, Mikenna Raye NMTC 45
15.9 Stevens, Jessica Ranae DAWSON 30
16.7 Smith, Hollie Marie MILES 20
18.2 Bolich, Elizabeth Joy MTSU 10
Team Roping
12.4 Handy, Cameron/Danks, Daylon MILES/MILES 60
12.8 Rasmussen, Shelby/Taylor, Hayden MTSU/MTSU 50
15 Berquist, Caleb/Leno, Teegan MTSU/MTSU 40
20.5 Burrill, Nolan/Ennis, Arianna NWC/NWC 30
5.4/1 Woolstenhulme, Paden/Wallace, Hagen NWC/NWC 20
7.1/1 Smith, Logan/Hammons, Taggart NWC/NWC 10
Bareback Riding
141 Kay, Trevor William UMTW 60
129 Dearhamer, Nathaniel Austin MTSU 50
Breakaway Roping
14.7 Meeks, Ellie Kate DAWSON 60
15.7 Berquist, Sydney Kay MTSU 50
17.0 Williamson, Kassidy Taylor NMTC 40
2.8/1 Salmond, Molly Mae MTSU 30
2.9/1 Kohr, Sage Ann-Marie MTSU 20
3.0/1 Currin, Jacee Mae MTSU 5
3.0/1 Schauer, Mikenna Raye NMTC 5
Tie Down Roping
18.2 Berquist, Caleb Shane MTSU 60
18.6 Smith, Logan James NWC 50
19.1 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 40
20.1 Harrison, Bryce Joseph UMTW 30
20.6 Spring, Bode William Carter MTSU 20
22.2 Trexler, Cole Clifford MILES 10
Barrel Racing
28.46 Moeykens, Tayla Annmarie MTSU 60
28.78 Garrison, Hailey Elizabeth MTSU 50
29.03 McDonald, Alexis Rai MTSU 40
29.25 Schroeder, McKenna Wolf UMTW 30
29.36 Bushnell, Trinity Shane UMTW 20
29.52 Marcenko, Jill Catherine NMTC 10
Bull Riding
126 Runfola, Chase MTSU 60
73/1 Rogers, Sterling Richard NWC 50
SHORT GO
Saddle Bronc Riding
Score Competitor School Team Pts
38 Faulkner, Cody Michael MTSU 60
Steer Wrestling
4.6 Currin, Kolby James MTSU 60
5.1 Berquist, Caleb Shane MTSU 50
5.2 Cathey, Maclain Lyle MTSU 40
5.6 Stensrud, Ethan James UMTW 30
5.7 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 20
5.8 Beattie, Logan John MTSU 10
Goat Tying
6.4 Rasmussen, Paige Noel MTSU 60
7.2 Brewer, Shantell Eloise MTSU 50
7.4 Schauer, Mikenna Raye NMTC 40
8.4 Stevens, Jessica Ranae DAWSON 30
8.9 Smith, Hollie Marie MILES 20
10.1 Bolich, Elizabeth Joy MTSU 10
Team Roping
7.3 Ramirez, Edward/Cerini, Jake UMTW 60
8 York, Sylais/Gordon, Spencer NWC/NWC 50
11 Johnson, Clay/Faulkner, Cody MTSU/MTSU 40
11.1 Woolstenhulme, Paden/Wallace, Hagen NWC/NWC 30
12.4 Berquist, Caleb/Leno, Teegan MTSU/MTSU 20
Bareback Riding
71 Dearhamer, Nathaniel Austin MTSU 60
68 Kay, Trevor William UMTW 50
Breakaway Roping
12.7 Berquist, Sydney Kay MTSU 55
12.7 Meeks, Ellie Kate DAWSON 55
13.6 Williamson, Kassidy Taylor NMTC 40
Tie Down Roping
8.6 Berquist, Caleb Shane MTSU 60
9.1 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 50
9.2 Smith, Logan James NWC 40
9.9 Spring, Bode William Carter MTSU 30
10.1 Trexler, Cole Clifford MILES 20
10.3 Harrison, Bryce Joseph UMTW 10
Barrel Racing
14.27 Garrison, Hailey Elizabeth MTSU 60
14.31 Moeykens, Tayla Annmarie MTSU 50
14.4 McDonald, Alexis Rai MTSU 40
14.6 Schroeder, McKenna Wolf UMTW 30
14.62 Bushnell, Trinity Shane UMTW 20
14.74 Marcenko, Jill Catherine NMTC 10
Bull Riding
No qualifying rides
LONG GO
Saddle Bronc Riding
Score Competitor School Team Pts
50 Klingler, Carson UMTW 60
Steer Wrestling
4.1 Nannini, Michael Henry MTSU 60
4.5 Beattie, Logan John MTSU 50
4.7 Harrison, Bryce Joseph UMTW 40
5.3 Currin, Kolby James MTSU 30
6.5 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 20
6.9 Stensrud, Ethan James UMTW 10
Goat Tying
7 Schauer, Mikenna Raye MSUN 55
7 Garrison, Hailey Elizabeth MTSU 55
7.2 Rasmussen, Paige Noel MTSU 35
7.2 Brewer, Shantell Eloise MTSU 35
7.3 Garrett, Braleigh Rae UMTW 20
7.5 Stevens, Jessica Ranae DCC 10
Team Roping
5.4 Woolstenhulme, Paden/Wallace, Hagen NWC/NWC 60
6.4 Handy, Cameron/Danks, Daylon MILES/MILES 50
6.9 Rasmussen, Shelby/Taylor, Hayden MTSU/MTSU 40
7.0 Berquist, Caleb/Leno, Teegan MTSU/MTSU 30
7.1 Smith, Logan/Hammons, Taggart NWC/NWC 20
7.2 Lufkin, Ryland/Harrison, Bryce UMTW/UMTW 10
Bareback Riding
73 Kay, Trevor William UMTW 60
58 Dearhamer, Nathaniel Austin MTSU 50
Breakaway Roping
2.0 Meeks, Ellie Kate DCC 60
2.8 Salmond, Molly Mae MTSU 50
2.9 Kohr, Sage Ann-Marie MTSU 40
3.0 Currin, Jacee Mae MTSU 20
3.0 Schauer, Mikenna Raye MSUN 20
3.0 Berquist, Sydney Kay MTSU 20
Tie Down Roping
9.4 Smith, Logan James NWC 60
9.6 Berquist, Caleb Shane MTSU 50
9.8 Harrison, Bryce Joseph UMTW 40
10.0 Woolstenhulme, Paden Wade NWC 30
10.7 Spring, Bode William Carter MTSU 20
10.8 Johnson, Clay Ellis MTSU 10
Barrel Racing
14.15 Moeykens, Tayla Annmarie MTSU 60
14.51 Garrison, Hailey Elizabeth MTSU 50
14.63 Currin, Jacee Mae MTSU 35
14.63 McDonald, Alexis Rai MTSU 35
14.65 Schroeder, McKenna Wolf UMTW 20
14.74 Bushnell, Trinity Shane UMTW 10
Bull Riding
84 Runfola, Chase MTSU 60
73 Rogers, Sterling Richard NWC 50
