Wyoming Bull Rider Goes Into College National Rodeo Finals No. 1 In Nation

All eyes will be on Laramie County Community College bull rider Kahl Wasilow at next month’s College National Finals Rodeo in Casper. Wasilow, who has dominated the 2025-26 college rodeo season, goes into the June CNFR ranked No. 1 in the nation. He not only topped the regional standings in bull riding by almost 1,000 points but scored more points than any collegiate bull rider in the country.

The University of Wyoming’s rodeo program also heads to Casper with momentum, sweeping the Central Rocky Mountain Region’s men’s and women’s team titles in the final CNFR qualifier. The UW Cowboys finished the regular season ranked seventh nationally, and the Cowgirls finished fifth. Gillette College’s women’s team nabbed reserve-championship honors and a trip to Casper.

In just his first full season as coach, Pro Rodeo Hall-of-Famer Bobby Harris watched his men’s team at Sheridan College win the reserve championship to qualify for the CNFR for the first time in more than a decade. “We’re just getting rolling,” said Harris, a Gillette native who won the PRCA world championship in team roping. “We have high expectations at Sheridan College. We’re there to be reckoned with.”

Several of the region’s individual champions are second-generation Wyoming winners. Saddle bronc rider Jake Schlattman of Greybull is the son of Dean Schlattman, who scored similar points for UW in the 1990s and rode broncs at the 1999 National Finals Rodeo. “Dad’s my main guy,” Jake said. Regional heeling champion Cael Espenscheid of Big Piney, a freshman at Central Wyoming College, is the son of Chad Espenscheid, a heeling star for UW in the 1990s.

Gillette College’s Brylee Grubb, a Spearfish cowgirl whose father grew up in Buffalo, took the women’s regional all-around title. She was also the regional barrel racing champion and reserve champ in goat tying. The men’s regional all-around champ, Colorado native Traven Sharon of UW, was reserve champ in both tie-down roping and saddle bronc riding.

LCCC will also send regional breakaway champion Rayna Billingsley to the CNFR. Harris said he is excited to continue recruiting legacy rodeo students. One team roper and tie-down roper for Sheridan is Tyon Arneson, whose parents both attended Sheridan College. Harris also noted that breakaway roper Sierra Hilgenkamp came from fifth in the regional standings to finish as runner-up regional champ. “She worked really hard,” Harris said. “A year ago, I told her in one year she would have a chance to make the finals. It was a big deal.” The CNFR runs June 14-20 in Casper.