The tough part is over for the Wyoming men's rodeo team.

The Cowboys had an up-and-down season and didn't clinch their team spot at the College National Finals Rodeo until the final rodeo of the Central Rocky Mountain Region.

"One week we do really well, the next weekend we don't," UW bareback bronc rider Neil DeZort said of the team's rollercoaster season.

UW was in fifth place with three CRMR rodeos left, but scored a season-best 635 points at Casper College's Ropin' and Riggin' Days in mid-April to move into second place. The Cowboys held on to the lead, but just barely, finishing only 10 points ahead of third-place Lamar. Central Wyoming College ran away with the team title.

"It's unique because this region is so talented. There is so much depth that it's hard to score those points," Wyoming coach George Howard said. "Yeah, we ended up making enough to get into second place, but looking at some of these other schools and regions, I'm wondering 'Wow,' it's hard to comprehend that you could score that many points. I'm excited about being here."

Region standing don't carry over to the CNFR, so UW and all the other teams start with a clean slate.

With a fresh start, Howard thinks his team can do big things this week at the Casper Events Center.

"They know it's within their reach," Howard said. "They are some of the best cowboys that I've fielded as far as the team is concerned. I wish we had a little more balance on the roughstock end, but it just didn't work out this year."

DeZort is the only roughstock competitor for the Cowboys. Fellow bareback rider Bucky Dickson might have qualified for the CNFR, but his season ended when he broke his jaw at the Casper College rodeo.

And what UW lacks in the roughstock events, it more than makes up for it in the timed events. Tie-down ropers Jake Pratt and Jason Hubbard, from Wheatland, finished first and second in the CRMR standings, and the Cowboys also have a contingent of four team ropers -- Mark Morrison, T.J. Teague and Tyler and Justin Viles of Cody. Justin Viles is in his fifth year, so his points will not count toward the team total.

"They are in contention for this whole deal, and that is what is unique about the College National Finals," Howard said. "We all get to start at zero, we are not behind. We are even with everybody."

DeZort said the team has confidence heading into the CNFR because people didn't expect UW to qualify as a team. Also, the Cowboys are no strangers to close races.

"If we bring our A-game, I think we will do well," he said. "It's kind of hit or miss. It depends on the rodeo."

The Cowboys have hit this season and they have missed. Starting today they hope to be a hit on college rodeo's biggest stage.

Contact sports reporter David Buck at (307) 266-0596 or david.buck@trib.com.

Wyoming Tracker

The lineup for the University of Wyoming:

TIE-DOWN ROPING: Jason Hubbard, Jake Pratt.

BAREBACK BRONC RIDING: Neil DeZort.

TEAM ROPING: Mark Morrison (with Brad Johnson of Gillette College), T.J. Teague (with Quincy Opla of Eastern Wyoming), Tyler Viles and Justin Viles.