Lindsey Branch, UMW Sports Information
DILLON, Mont. – Montana Western Head Rodeo Coach JT Robbins has announced the signing of 18 student-athletes for the 2024-2025 men's and women's rodeo season.
"We are excited about the incoming talent we have assembled this year across all events. This class gives us a solid opportunity to continue to compete at a high level throughout the region." Robbins said.
Teely Bott | Barrel Racing, Team Roping, Breakaway | Rupert, Idaho / Minico HS
Bott is an all-around cowgirl who joins the Bulldogs this fall from Rupert, Idaho where she was a 2024 graduate of Minico High School. Bott was a two-time state champion barrel racer and most recently placed fifth in barrel racing at the 2024 Idaho state finals. Bott qualified twice for the national finals rodeo during her high school career. In addition, Bott currently sits in eighth in the overall standings in the Idaho Cowboy Association (ICA) standings and fourth in the barrel racing standings. Bott also competed in basketball for a season and was a member of the national honors society while in high school. She is the daughter of Trevor and Dawn Bott and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Kyler Erickson | Team Roping, Tie Down Roping | Rigby, Idaho / Rigby HS
Erickson is a team and tie down roper who joins the Bulldogs from Rigby, Idaho. He was a 2020 graduate of Rigby High School and enters as a redshirt-sophomore this season. Erickson is the son of Dawn and Terry Erickson and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Maddie Eskew | Barrel Racing, Breakaway | Gillette, Wyo. / Gillette HS / Gillette CC
Eskew is a barrel racer and breakaway roper who joins the Bulldogs from Gillette, Wyo. and as a transfer from Gillette Community College. Eskew was a 2021 graduate of Thunder Basin High School and was the 2021 state pole bending champion. In addition, Eskew was a member of last season's Central Rocky Mountain Region women's team title and was fifth in the region her sophomore season. Eskew is the daughter of Chad and Monica Eskew and plans to continue to pursue her degree in business while at Montana Western.
Sydney Fitzpatrick | Barrel Racing | Browning, Mont. / Browning HS
Fitzpatrick is a barrel racer who joins the Bulldogs as a 2024 graduate of Browning High School in Browning, Mont. She is a 2024 high school state finals qualifier after competing in numerous rodeos across the state for the past three years. In addition to rodeo, Fitzpatrick has earned honor roll recognition numerous times and competed in cheer in high school. Fitzpatrick is the daughter of Kole Fitzpatrick and Tiffany Bechel and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Samantha Gerlach | Barrel Racing, Breakaway Roping | Columbus, Mont. / Columbus HS
Gerlach is a barrel racer and breakaway roper who joins the Bulldogs from Columbus High School in Columbus, Mont. She is a 2023 high school state rodeo finalist in barrel racing where she was the barrel racing average winner. She also was named barrel racing and breakaway rookie of the year in her region. Gerlach finished fourth in the 2024 state standings and qualified for the national finals rodeo this summer. She is currently in 12th in the Northern Rodeo Association (NRA) standings for barrel racing. Gerlach is the daughter of Ryan and Jamie Gerlach and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Tatum Hansen | Steer Wrestling, Team Roping | Glasgow, Mont. / Glasgow HS
Hansen is a steer wrestler and team roper who joins the Bulldogs from Glasgow, Mont. and is a 2024 graduate of Glasgow High School. Hansen was the 2024 state high school steer wrestling champion and went on to compete at the National High School Finals Rodeo this summer. He is currently in the top 15 in the Montana PRCA standings for steer wrestling. Hansen was also a four-time state hockey champion and competed in football where he was a four-time All-State selection. He is the son of Del and Stephanie Hansen.
Dillon Harrell | Team Roping | Choteau, Mont. / Choteau HS
Harrell is a team roper who joins the Bulldogs from Choteau, Mont. In 2024, Harrell was a Montana High School State Finalist in team roping. In addition to rodeo, Harrell competed in football, basketball, track and baseball while at Choteau where he was an all-conference selection in track in 2022. Harrell is the son of Joe and Cathy Campbell.
Jeremy Kay | Bull Riding, Bareback Riding | Chester, Idaho / St. Anthony HS
Kay is a bull and bareback rider who joins the Bulldogs from Chester, Idaho. A 2024 St. Anthony High School graduate, Kay was a district seven bull riding champion in 2023 who also finished inside the top five in the NRA year-end standings. Last year, Kay finished in third at the NRA finals in bull riding. Currently, Kay sits in 13th overall in the overall NRA standings. Kay is the son of Jonathan and Sarah Kay and will join his brother, standout bareback rider Trevor Kay this fall. He plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Grant Kiechler | Steer Wrestling, Team Roping | Eureka, Mont. / Eureka County HS
Kiechler is a steer wrestler and team roper who joins the Bulldogs from Eureka County High School in Eureka, Mont. He was a three-time national finals qualifier in steer wrestling and has placed fourth at the finals three times. Kiechler also competed in football while in high school where he was a four-time undefeated league champion and earned all-league honors twice. In addition, he competed in wrestling and numerous FFA contests where he took second in state in ag mechanics and third in both extemporaneous speech and ag mechanics. Kiechler is the son of Tate and Hollis Else and Keith Kiechler and plans to major in secondary education and k-12 education while at Montana Western.
Georgia King | Barrel Racing, Goat Tying, Breakaway | Wilder, Idaho / Homedale HS
King is an all-around cowgirl who joins the Bulldogs this fall from Wilder, Idaho and is a 2024 graduate of Homedale High School. She was the 2023 Idaho State champion in pole bending and a national qualifier. King is the daughter of Gene and Amanda King and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Cardell Laughery | Saddle Bronc Riding | Ekalaka, Mont. / Carter County HS / Odessa CC
Laughery is a saddle bronc rider who joins the Bulldogs from Ekalaka, Mont. and as a transfer from Odessa Community College. Laughery was a 2023 graduate of Carter County High School who was a two-time state qualifying saddle bronc rider through high school. He is currently in 11th place in the NRA rankings in saddle bronc riding and sitting atop the standings for rookie of the year in the event. He is also in the top 20 in the Montana PRCA standings in saddle bronc riding. Laughery is the son of Carl and Camille Laughery and plans to continue to pursue his degree in business.
Paul O'Hair | Saddle Bronc Riding | Livingston, Mont. / Park HS
O'Hair, a saddle bronc rider from Livingston, Mont, joins the Bulldogs after graduating this past spring from Park High School. O'Hair finished his career as a national high school finals qualifier in saddle bronc riding. Additionally, O'Hair is currently sitting in third overall in the NRA saddle bronc riding standings. O'Hair is the son of Todd and Melissa O'Hair and plans to major in business while at Montana Western.
Cooper Olaveson | Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Team Roping | Rigby, Idaho / Rigby HS
Olaveson is an all-around cowboy who will be joining the Bulldogs as a 2024 graduate of Rigby High School in Rigby, Idaho. Olaveson was a two-time district bareback champion and a saddle bronc riding champion and reserve champion. He also qualified for state in team roping twice and finished in the top ten in the state in saddle bronc and bareback riding. At the 2024 finals, Olaveson finished fifth in bareback riding. He is the son of Jeff and Kendra Olaveson and plans to major in Kinesiology.
Clay Pendergrass | Team Roping | Roy, Mont. / Roy HS
Pendergrass is a team roper who joins the Bulldogs from Roy High School in Roy, Mont. In addition to rodeo, Pendergrass also competed in basketball and football in high school. He is the son of Pat and Jeanine Pendergrass and plans to major in natural horsemanship while at Montana Western.
Jade Ramon | Tie Down Roping, Team Roping | Tonasket, Wash. / Tonasket HS
Ramon joins the Bulldogs this fall as a 2024 graduate of Tonasket High School in Tonasket, Wash. He was a two-time state champion tie-down roper, two-time reserve state champion in tie down, and was reserve champion in team roping in 2022. Ramon took the top finish in the 2024 tie down roping state finals and finished second in the all-around standings after finishing as state reserve champion in team roping. Ramon also competed in basketball and football in high school where he earned numerous all-league honors while earning honor roll accolades. He is the son of Michael and Stacie Ramon.
Jaycie Richey | Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping, Barrel Racing, Team Roping | Tonasket, Wash. / Tonasket HS
Richey is a cowgirl who joins the Bulldogs from Tonasket, Wash. She competes in goat tying, breakaway roping, team roping, and barrel racing. Richey is a 2024 graduate of Tonasket High School who is a national qualifier in goat tying and two-time state qualifier in barrel racing and goat tying. Richey was the Washington state champion in goat tying in both 2023 and 2024, finished in the top 15 in the all-around standings, and qualified for the national finals rodeo. In addition, she has won numerous average titles throughout her career. In addition to rodeo, Richey also competed in basketball and track and field where she earned second team all-league honors and was a two-time state qualifier in basketball. She also was a two-time FFA state qualifier in both novice parliamentary procedure and parliamentary procedure. Richey is the daughter of Steve and Sarah Richey and will be competing alongside her sister Brooke Richey who currently competes for the Bulldogs. Richey also plans to major in Kinesiology while at Montana Western.
Brooklynn Voigt | Barrel Racing | Idaho Falls, Idaho / Idaho Falls HS
Voigt will be joining the Bulldogs this fall as a 2024 graduate from Idaho Falls High School in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She is a barrel racer who plans to major in natural horsemanship with a minor in business while at Montana Western. Voigt is the daughter of Lisa and Gary Voigt.
Jacee Winward | Breakaway, Team Roping, Goat Tying | Grace, Idaho / Grace HS
Winward, a three-time state qualifier, joins the Bulldogs from Grace, Idaho. She was a two-time state qualifier who won the first round in breakaway at state her sophomore year. She was a state top 15 finisher in breakaway after the 2024 season. She also competed in basketball and soccer in high school where she placed fifth in state her junior season. Winward is the daughter of Doug Winward and Wendy Austin and plans to major in psychology while at Montana Western.
Coming off of another successful season in the Big Sky Region, the Bulldogs will get back in action this fall from Sept. 6 through the 7 in Cody, Wyo. at the Trapper Stampede #1 and #2.
Following the opening weekend, the Bulldogs will hit the road twice more for the Dawson Community College Rodeo and the MSU-Northern Rodeo before returning home.
The Montana Western Rodeo will be on Sept. 27 through the 28 at the Beaverhead County Fairgrounds in Harry Andrus Arena. The Friday night performance will be at 7pm with Saturday's events beginning at 8am.
To view more details on the 2024 fall schedule, click here.
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