The EWC rodeo team struggled for its very existence until 1975 when the college decided to give the rodeo team full support and make rodeo a major college sport at Eastern Wyoming College.
Money was budgeted for scholarships, equipment, livestock, and facilities. Top rodeo hands were actively recruited. Rodeo history was made as one of the smallest colleges on the rodeo circuit became one of the top teams in the Central Rocky Mountain Region.
The results were encouraging and sometimes astounding. During the modern era of rodeo at EWC rodeo team members have individually captured regional championships in every event, as well as all-around titles. As a team, the women have finished third, second and have won the regional championship, all in a brief time period. In 1979-1980 all three EWC cowgirls were among the top ten finalists at the National Rodeo Finals.
In 1983-1984 the women's team won the regional championship again and participated in the College National Finals. The men's team finished second in the region and seven men also participated at Bozeman, MT, making for our largest representation in years at the College National Finals. J.R. Clark, Deke Latham, and Chuck Grieves each won a go-around at the CNFR and Tish Hier was runner-up for the women's all-around.
Duplicating their previous years effort; in 1984-1985, both teams qualified for the CNFR. The women's team won the regional championship and the men's finished second. Shelley Meter won the women's all-around and Deke Latham won the men's.
For the second year in a row the teams finished in the National "top ten" - the women's sixth and the men's seventh. This group of young people were led by Deke Latham's finish of second in the bull riding and runner-up to the men's all-around and Shelley Meter winning the first go-around of the barrel racing.
Finally, in June of 1986 at the CNFR in Bozeman, Montana, all of our efforts through the years paid off! A third place team finish, a world championship in goat tying, a second place in the world bull riding championship all occurred in one momentous rodeo.
Following 1986, the EWC teams experienced a "slack" period until the 1989-90 season. The men's team finished second in the region, qualifying for the CNFR and K.C. Jones was the region's all-around cowboy. After the completion of the CNFR, K.C. Jones finished second in the nation in calf roping.
In 1991-1992, two members of the rodeo team qualified for the CNFR Heather O'Neal-Lander, WY finished first in the first round of barrel racing, while Justin Roselle-Loveland, CO placed second in the first round of calf roping. Overall, Heather O'Neal finished sixth in the nation in barrel racing.
The 1992-1993 EWC men's rodeo team brought home trophies from Central Rocky Mountain Region rodeos and sent a member to the College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) in Bozeman, MT. Coy Kummer of Briggsdale, CO., placed in calf roping and was third in the championship go-round at the CNFR.
Five members of the 1993-94 EWC men's and women's rodeo team qualified for the CNFR in Bozeman, MT. Shawn Willis finished fifth in the championship go-round of team roping.
The 1994-1995 Eastern Wyoming College men's rodeo team finished third in the Central Rocky Mountain Region, winning 3 of 10 rodeos for the year. The highlight of the season was when Paul Griemsman and roping partner, Whip Lewis of Central Arizona College, won the Team Roping event at the 1995 College National Finals Rodeo. They won the average with a time of 23.10 seconds. Also placing at the 1995 CNFR was teammate Brett Fleming and his roping partner, Shawn Willis of the University of Wyoming. They were third with a time of 29.70. This duo won the championship round of team roping in 6.4 seconds. Other teammates placing in the CRMR for the year were:
- Jaime Ashley - third in Barrel Racing and third in the Women's All Around
- Dustin Reeves - fourth in Bareback Riding
- Brent Charlesworth - fourth in Calf Roping. Brett Fleming was second in the Men's All Around
The 1995-1996 Eastern Wyoming College men's rodeo team won the Central Rocky Mountain Region! This team won 7 of 10 rodeos for the year, accumulating 3370.82 points. Individual results in the region were:
Dustin Reeves - 1st in Bareback Riding; Dan Miller - 3rd in Bareback Riding; Paul Griemsman - 2nd in Calf Roping, and 2nd in the Men's All Around; James Tarver - 1st in Team Roping; and Scott Mackey - 2nd in Team Roping.
The 1996-1997 EWC men's team won the CRMR for the second consecutive year! The team was lead by:
- Dan Miller - All Around Cowboy and Bareback Riding Champion
- Andy Martin - Calf Roping Champion
- Don Miller - second in Bareback Riding and third in the All Around
- Jessica Scott - All Around Cowgirl and Breakaway Roping Champion
The 1997-1998 EWC men's rodeo team finished 3rd in the Central Rocky Mountain Region while the women's team placed 4th, both teams just short of College National Finals qualification. Individuals that qualified for the CNFR were Jessica Scott, CRMR Runner-Up All Around Cowgirl, who competed in Breakaway Roping and Ty Correll who competed in Team Roping. At the 1998 College National Finals Rodeo, Ty Correll and his roping partner, James Tarver of the University of Wyoming, placed 3rd with a time of 32.7.
The 1998-1999 EWC rodeo team had three CRMR champions. They were Mandy Ryff, Breakaway Roping; Dustin Brown, Calf Roping; and Alfred Hansen, Team Roping. The EWC women's team finished second in the CRMR. Four women and four men represented EWC at the CNFR in Casper, Wyoming in 1999. Megan Sniff finished in the top ten at the CNFR in the Barrel Racing while Alfred Hansen and partner Ryan Zurcher finished 4th in the nation in the Team Roping.
The 1999-2000 Rodeo Season: The EWC Men's team qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo finishing the season in second place. Dean Gorsuch won the Regional Steer Wrestling championship and was Reserve Champion All-Around. Tim Hruby was the Reserve Champion CAlf Roper. Five other team members qualified for the finals. Jesse Clement, calf roping; Dustin Brown, calf roping and team roping; Will Berg, saddle bronc riding; Gavin Flint, team roping; and Alfred Hansen, calf roping and team roping.
The 2000 EWC College Rodeo was named the "CRMR Rodeo of the Year" for the second consecutive year.
