LCCC's Koester wins bull riding at Shawn Dubie

Oct. 9—CHEYENNE — Laramie County Community College bull rider Griffin Koester struggled during the first two rodeos of the Central Rocky Mountain Region season.

The sophomore took a step toward advancing to his second consecutive College National Finals Rodeo when he placed fourth at Sheridan College. Koester took another big stride Sunday when he scored 79 points to win the championship at LCCC's Shawn Dubie Memorial Rodeo.

None of the nine bull riders in Sunday's final go-round posted two scores. In fact, there were only five scores posted total. Koester edged University of Wyoming cowboy Emmit Ross, who scored 79.5 points during the finals.

"It started off a bit rough, but it's getting better," Koester said. "I was getting my elbow too high or not setting my hips hard enough. I've been working out those kinks in practice and getting on the bucker all the time. Things are starting to feel really good.

"I've ridden at my last two rodeos, so things are picking up. I'm going to try to keep that going at the next rodeo to finish the fall."

Koester's bull spun to the left the entire ride and stayed close the chute, giving the judges a good look at the ride.

"It felt really good to get that one rode after not having the best performance Friday," Koester said. "I had to forget about that, come back and get one."

LCCC sophomore Dixon Tattrie — who also reached the CNFR last season — held the lead entering the finals after scoring 76 points during the first go-round. He was tossed from his draw Sunday, but his score in the first go was still good enough for third.

Former LCCC bull rider Stefan Tonita, who now competes for UW, took fourth with a 72-point ride during the finals.

Tattrie was second in the all-around race. In addition to his third-place effort in bull riding, the Utah cowboy split second in saddle bronc, with 152 points on two rides.

LCCC's Tate Miller scored 70 points during the bareback riding finals, and placed third in the aggregate at 143. Rhett Witt finished fourth in tie-down roping with 20.6 seconds in aggregate time across his two runs. He had a 10.5-second run in the finals. Witt also advanced to the finals in steer wrestling, but posted a no-time.

LCCC sophomore Dane Pokorny shared the steer wrestling title with Wyoming's Cam Jensen at 9.1 seconds. The 135 points he scored as a result of his performance at the home rodeo were the first he has scored all season.

Pokorny credited switching to a family horse named Joe with his success.

"He's kind of a crazy booger, but he's got a set of wheels on him," Pokorny said. "He gives you a good trip every time. I don't usually use him, but my coach and Payton Feyder told me to give him a chance because he had been to the college finals so many times.

"He's gotten my brother, Cauy Pokorny, Bernie Girard and Chance Derner to the college finals. He's been around and done well, for sure. That horse has a heck of a personality. You just have to ride him and get to the pay window."

Pokorny also made the team-roping finals with LCCC heeler Gauge Davis, but the pair notched a no-time during the finals. Pokorny's time in the arena wasn't done after steer wrestling. He later joined his older brother Cauy, a former LCCC cowboy, as the bullfighters at the end of the rodeo.

The team-roping tandem of UW header Rio Nutter and LCCC heeler Reece Wadhams captured third with 16.9 seconds.

LCCC's Wacey Day was the first breakaway roper to make a run Sunday, and she set the pace at 14.1 seconds on two, thanks to a 6.6-second effort in the finals. Gillette College's Haiden Thompson entered the finals with the fastest time, and her 6.1-second finals run gave her a two-run total of 12.7 and the win. UW's Riata Day — Wacey's sister — placed third (14.1).

Wacey Day also took ninth in breakaway roping. She had a 3-second run in the first go, and a no-time in the finals. LCCC sophomore Rayne Grant placed third in breakaway at 5.7 seconds on two runs.

Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on X at @jjohnke.