By: Makiah Osborne
Casper College hosted the 70th anniversary of the annual Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo, held at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds on April 17-19. Rodeo teams across the Central Rocky Mountain region gathered to compete in various national qualifying events, taking part in the weekend-long, community celebration. For the men’s team, events included steer wrestling, team roping, calf roping, saddle bronc riding, bareback bronc riding, and bull riding. The women’s events included goat tying, barrel racing, break-away roping, and team roping.
Along with these fundamental categories, the weekend included a fan favorite, the Wild Ride. During the Wild Ride, competitors dress up in costumes, picking songs to complete their entrance on a saddle bronc. Madieh McCloud, current marketing student and public relations manager of the rodeo team, said that the Wild Ride was the highlight of the weekend, pulling the rodeo community together as they celebrated one of the last rodeos of the season.
Rangle Osborne, who placed first in team roping at this year’s Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo, is pictured carrying the regional sponsor flag from Cactus Saddlery.
Beyond an annual event, the Wyoming joy of rodeo brings the town of Casper together, championing the collegiate athletes at CC. The Head Coach of the team, Faith Anders, said that this event extends past the pocket of the rodeo team but is a community and college wide effort.
The Assistant Coach, Kris Newman, said, “The community has always been there and supported. They might not know the kids personally, but they definitely support the program. They always turn out. For many many years, it’s probably been one of the best produced rodeos.”
Held in high esteem, the Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo is a remembered event full of camaraderie and passion for the sport. Though the two-year program circulates competitors quickly, many students come back to this rodeo while pursuing their bachelor’s degrees.
Anders stated, “We’ve had past winners that are still competing. It’s cool to see, even if it’s a UW contestant or Chadron. They’re wearing the Casper College buckle. That’s the one that they wear around and that they sport.”
Paralleling the community aspect of the annual rodeo, the rodeo team at CC continues to build a team founded on hard-work, determination, and support for one another. Newman said that as students, each member of the team works to excel in their chosen fields of study, and as rodeo participants, each member shows up consistently in the practice arena. The team continues to build its standing in the 2026 season, earning multiple first place awards over the weekend. Notable names included Rangle Osborne, placing first in team roping, and Ashton Pownall who took first in the Wild Ride.
After Osborne’s win over the weekend, he stated through correspondence, “It made me have a lot of confidence in myself that I can succeed and be a contender for the college finals.” Celebrating the 70th anniversary, both the Ropin’ and Riggin’ Days Rodeo and the rodeo team at Casper College represent the heart and community of the sport.
