Working cowboys compete at 2025 Ranch Rodeo Finals
The 2025 Wyoming Ranch Rodeo Finals took place on Aug. 12 during the Wyoming State Fair (WSF). The fan-favorite ranch rodeo drew a large crowd to Douglas for an entertaining showcase of teamwork and ranching talent from working cowboys and cowgirls.
The evening began with a prayer and playing of the National Anthem before launching into events including bronc riding, wild cow milking, trailer loading, team branding and team doctoring.
Eight teams – Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek, Silver Spur Ranch Walden, Hubert Trucking, #1 Properties Ranch and Rec, Benchmark Cattle, McNabb Ranches, Fiddleback Ranch and Say When – made up of five members each, competed at the finals.
The team who recorded the fastest time or highest score in each event was awarded eight points, with points for second through eighth places awarded on a descending scale. The team with the highest number of aggregate points across all events won the rodeo and a $2,200 check.
Overall results
Both Silver Spur Ranch teams had a good showing at the WSF Ranch Rodeo Finals to come out on top.
Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek placed first with 31.5 points, followed closely by Silver Spur Ranch Walden in second with 31 points. They brought home payouts of $2,200 and $1,650, respectively.
Hubert Trucking and #1 Properties Ranch and Rec each brought in 29 points across the events, but Hubert Trucking ultimately ranked higher to secure the $1,100 third-place check thanks to Colton Roark’s tie-breaking bronc ride.
#1 Properties Ranch and Rec took home $550 for their fourth-place finish.
Benchmark Cattle finished fifth with 17 points, followed by McNabb Ranches with 12 points.
Fiddleback Ranch collected 11 points for fourth place, and Say When rounded out the rankings in eighth place with 10.5 points.
Event results
In the bronc riding, Roark came out on top with a 77-point ride aboard Tar Baby to secure eight points for Hubert Trucking. Colton Miller of #1 Properties Ranch and Rec was hot on Roark’s heels with a 76-point ride aboard Magpie.
Kurt McNabb secured six points for McNabb Ranches with a 74-point score, followed by Weston Tackett of Silver Spur Ranch Walden who scored 73 points. Wade Pulver of Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek and Brandon Morris of Say When each brought in 3.5 points for their respective teams with 68-point rides.
The wild cow milking was a sight to behold as each team scrambled to be the fastest to rope, mug and milk a cow and carry the milk safely to the judge.
Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek reigned supreme with a time of 44.16 seconds, followed by Silver Spur Ranch Walden with 49.08 seconds. #1 Properties Ranch and Rec crossed the line in 51.03 seconds to secure third place.
Next came team trailer loading, where contestants worked to sort three cows from the herd and load them into a trailer.
Once again, Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek came out on top with a total time of one minute and 12 seconds. They were followed by Benchmark Cattle with one minute and 29 seconds, then by Silver Spur Ranch Walden with a time of one minute and 35 seconds.
Team branding also went well for Silver Spur Ranch Walden, who stopped the clock at 46.71 seconds to take first. Second and third was a tight race between Hubert Trucking and #1 Properties Ranch and Rec, who finished with times of one minute and 11.06 seconds and one minute and 11.39 seconds, respectively.
The final event of the rodeo was team doctoring.
#1 Properties Ranch and Rec finished first with a time of 22.15 seconds, followed by Silver Spur Ranch Cow Creek who wrapped up in 23.93 seconds. Hubert Trucking took third in the final event of the evening with a time of 26.39 seconds.
Individual awards
In addition to the team results, individual awards were presented to several contestants.
The Top Horse Award went to Jason Long of Fiddleback Ranch. Long won a prize pair of spurs made by Gary Johnson of Douglas and sponsored by Clark and Associates Land Brokers LLC.
Trent McNabb of McNabb Ranches won the Top Hand Award and a buckle sponsored by Scott Ranches of Douglas.
Weston Tackett of Silver Spur Ranch Walden earned the Hard Luck Award sponsored by Webo Angus of Lusk.
Roark of Hubert Trucking won a bronc halter made by Scott McClain of Crawford, Neb. and sponsored by Blair Newman of Newman Realty for his top finish in the bronc riding.
Other prizes included buckles sponsored by First Northern Bank, a wool saddle blanket sponsored by Bomgaars, a back cinch buckle sponsored by Bolln Minerals of Douglas and mohair cinches made by Jackie Shepperson, sponsored by Converse County Bank.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
