By Rick Mauch 

If you're wondering what Casper, Wyoming is like this time of year, ask Johnny Emmons. As often as he's trekked up there annually, he might as well be a local. 

And this year is no different as the Weatherford College rodeo coach is once again taking several members of his teams to the College National Finals Rodeo June 12-18. With the exception of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the event, WC has sent participants north for 18 consecutive years. 

This year, seven members of the program are going, four women and three men. The women, in fact, qualified as a team for a second consecutive year by finishing second in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's Southwest Region. 

Competing for the ladies will be Kristen Reaves, Kodey Hoss, Bradi Good and Brie Wells. The men's team will be represented by Chance Thiessen, Jace Helton and Cash Enderli. 

Last season the Lady Coyotes finished fifth in the nation. The men also qualified as a team in 2014. 

This will be the second trip to nationals for Hoss, Good, Thiessen and Helton. Last season Hoss finished fourth in the nation in goat tying, Good was fifth nationally in barrel racing and Thiessen was 22nd in tiedown roping. Helton was competing as a heeler in team roping, but his header missed all three steers, so he didn't get a chance to post a time. 

That experience, Emmons said, should be a huge boost for the quartet. 

"The boys left there with a sour taste in the mouth, and I know they will be looking for redemption. The girls should go in with confidence, knowing they did good there last year, and should have a good feel for the approach they want to take going in." 

Reaves is this season's Southwest Region champion in goat tying, while Hoss was third in the region. Good was second in barrels in the region and second among all-around cowgirls. 

Thiessen won the tiedown title in the region and Enderli was third in the same event. Helton was second in team roping. 

Of course, Emmons added that all seven qualifiers rodeo full-time, competing in pro rodeos on a weekly basis when not in school. He's confident all will be in "rodeo mode" and will show up ready to win. 

And, as with years before, the Southwest Region is considered by many to be the toughest in the nation. This season the region broke the record for the largest college rodeos in history with over 600 contestants making up over 900 entries at each rodeo. 

"When you take only the top two or three percent of all of those contestants to the CNFR, anybody that qualifies from the Southwest Region will be odds-on favorites to do well at the CNFR," Emmons said. "I think the Southwest Region has won the most overall points at the CNFR for, like, 15 of the last 20 years." 

It doesn't hurt that the program has a tradition of entering each season with wrapping things up in Wyoming. 

"I do think it reflects a winning and consistent reputation for the WC program," Emmons said. "I am very proud of this group and look forward to seeing what they can get done in Casper."