Northwestern Oklahoma State University sophomore header Cooper Mott turns a steer Sunday for heeler Colter Snook, as the two stopped the clock in 5.4 seconds to win the short round and finish second overall in Stillwater, Okla.
(PHOTO BY DALE HIRSCHMAN)
ALVA, Okla. – When opportunities open a door, it’s important to walk through in a meaningful way.
Northwestern Oklahoma State University team ropers Cooper Mott and Colter Snook made the most out of their weekend to finish second at the Oklahoma State University rodeo this past weekend. They took the last placing position in the opening round, then won the final round to catapult up the points race.
“We drew a little stronger steer on our first one, so we made do with what we had,” said Mott, a sophomore header from Kansas, Oklahoma, near the state’s eastern border. “We knew that run had us coming into the short round as the sixth callback, so we had to pick up the pace a little bit.”
They did just that. Mott and Snook were 8.0 seconds in the first round, then sped up the process on the final day with a 5.4, the fastest run of the rodeo. With that, each man secured 120 points, which helps through the rigors of the 10-event Central Plains Region season.
“Sometimes you can just make it hard, but I try not to do that,” said Snook, a senior heeler from Ford, Kansas. “You just need to rope the cow. If the rodeo’s soft, just do good at the rodeo.”
It’s a simplified version of intercollegiate rodeo, but it serves as a reminder to maintain sound fundamentals when it’s time to compete. There were some other obstacles thrown in at the rodeo in Stillwater, and Mother Nature was the primary cause. Officials, though, took the swampy arena and made it workable, delaying the rodeo a bit while making sure the footing was in good shape.
“They had the whole floor drug out behind the heel box,” said Snook, a two-time College National Finals Rodeo qualifier. “It was just a huge pile of dirt, but it made the ground in the arena really good. They did a great job getting it ready.”
“I wasn’t going to ride my sorrel when I seen that ground,” Mott said. “Then they postponed the rodeo and said they were going to do some work on it. I brought my backup horse, but when we showed up, the ground looked great, so I jumped on that sorrel, and he worked outstanding.”
Mott and Snook were just one of three Northwestern teams advanced to Sunday’s championship round, joined by Laynee Ohm of Hyannis, Nebraska, and Carter Anderson of Merriman, Nebraska, who were 8.2 seconds in the opening round, and Degnan Boggs of Meade, Kansas, and Cole DeForest of Lamar, Colorado, who posted an 8.8.
Oftentimes, headers and heelers might be from different programs. Last year, Snook advanced to the college finals with a Dexton Hoelting, who roped at Western Oklahoma State College.
“Having three Northwestern teams in the team roping (short round) was really cool to see,” Mott said. “You don’t see that as often, but it was also a good weekend for the kids from up here.”
While Mott is in his second year at Northwestern, Snook is a veteran. He qualified for the 2025 CNFR as a header, then returned this past June as a heeler. He understands the game, but he’s also continuing to build on his ability to play the game. He’s doing everything in his power to practice.
“I’ve been roping the dummy a lot, and I’ve been roping goats a lot,” Snook said. “I can work on throwing with the dummy, and get the right loop over and over again. Once I get on the steer, if I’m not in time, it’s not really going to matter. Goats hop way faster than a steer’s hop, so I can get my timing better.”
He has seven goats he keeps to help work on his skills.
“I can make 150 runs on the goats in a day, where I can only make 10 to 15 runs on steers,” he said.
Practice is paying off. Both Mott and Snook should be among the top 10 in the region when this week’s standings are released. They were just a couple of the Rangers that found success in Stillwater. Steer wrestler Sam Daly of Tryon, Nebraska, maintained his hold on second place in the Central Plains with his second-place finish – he was the runner-up in both rounds and the aggregate.
Fellow bulldogger Creyo Koop of Howard, Kansas, placed in both rounds and finished fourth overall, and Nathan Duvall of Henryetta, Oklahoma, snagged third place in the championship round. For the women, breakaway roper Brylee Zook of Garnett, Kansas, was 2.2 to finish in a tie for second in the long round, then placed sixth on the final day and average.
Carsyn Haddock of Collinsville, Oklahoma, and Maggie King of Granville, New York, each stopped the clock in 2.8 seconds to make the final round. King also tied two goats in Stillwater, while barrel racer Sadie Rempel of Nelson, Nebraska, was consistent in her two runs.
“I think we’ve got a good team,” Mott said. “Our whole team is just full of athletes. They’re really good at what they do.”
That bodes well for the Rangers, who will have a week off competition before hosting the final rodeo of the fall semester Oct. 28-31. Performances will at 7 nightly at the new Salt Fork Events Center.
“We will be giving all-around saddles, title belts to event winners, $500 cash bonuses to the match champions and a $100 cash bonus to whoever wears pink that Saturday night in honor of Oaklynn,” coach Cali Griffin said, referring to Oaklynn Domer, the 3-year-old daughter of two former Rangers who was killed in horse accident this past February.
“We’re also having a concert for contestants and anyone who buys a ticket for our Friday night performance. Our rodeo will also feature steer roping, which isn’t part of most college rodeos.”