Salem native Michaela McCormick takes sixth in goat tying at College National Finals Rodeo
· Yahoo Sports
Jun. 22—CASPER, Wyo. — Salem native and Montana State University women's rodeo standout Michaela McCormick wrapped up an impressive week at the 2026 College National Finals Rodeo on Saturday night, earning a sixth-place finish in the women's goat tying standings at the Ford Wyoming Center.
The junior competitor delivered one of her best performances of the week in the championship short go round, posting a time of 6.3 seconds to finish fifth in the final round. McCormick's consistent effort across four runs secured her place among the nation's top women's collegiate goat tyers.
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McCormick opened competition with a 6.1-second run before recording times of 7.1 and 6.9 seconds in her next two go rounds, respectively. Her 6.3-second effort in the short go gave her a total time of 26.4 seconds on four runs, good for sixth place overall. The finish earned her 80 points in the individual standings.
Her performance also helped Montana State's women's rodeo team finish tied for 18th in the team standings with 75 points.
Texas A&M University captured the women's team championship with 692.5 points. Host University of Wyoming placed second with 405 points, followed by Tarleton State University in third with 360 points. Texas Tech University finished fourth with 320 points, while Weatherford College rounded out the top-five women's standings with 300 points.
The women's all-around title went to University of Wyoming cowgirl and Colman, South Dakota, native Josie Mousel, who dominated the competition with 395 points. She also was the goat tying individiual national champion. Mousel finished 325 points ahead of runners-up Emma Ricke, of Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and Quincy Morgan-Montoya, of New Mexico Junior College, who each recorded 70 points.
On the men's side, Clarendon College claimed the national championship with 1,100 team points. Weatherford College was second with 980 points, followed by Tarleton State (608.3), Missouri Valley College (590) and Bismarck State College (585). Bismarck State's Tyler Hansen secured the men's all-around title with 310 points, finishing well ahead of Southwest Texas College's Coleman Canton, who placed second with 145 points. Carson Hildre, of Velva, South Dakota, who was riding for Clarendon College (Texas), was one of three tri-champions in the bareback riding event.