NWC SET FOR ANNUAL TRAPPER STAMPEDE

BY CARSON FIELD TRIBUNE SPORTS WRITER
Courtesy of the Powell Tribune
powelltribune.mycapture.com

Only one Northwest College sport did not have to postpone its fall season in 2020: rodeo. And now it's about to begin.

Because it is unaffiliated with NJCAA — which decided in July to move fall sports to the spring — the NWC rodeo team will kick off its 2020 season on Friday, with the Trapper Stampede Rodeo. Seven schools will compete in the annual two-day event held at Cody Stampede Park.

After several months of uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, this return to action is thrilling for head coach Del Nose.

"It's amazing; we're excited," Nose said. "Our season got cut short last year and we never had college finals."

The fall 2019 season was disrupted by a regional outbreak of vesicular stomatitis — a highly contagious viral disease that can afflict horses and other animals — while the novel coronavirus led to the cancellation of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association Finals in the summer of 2020. But NWC rodeo now has that in the rearview mirror as it embarks on a new season.

In the past few weeks, the Trappers have practiced for the upcoming campaign. With a large crop of newcomers, Nose has preached the basics during this preseason training.

"We're thrilled that we get to practice," Nose said. "We've been working on the basics. We're not changing a lot from what we usually do, but we're tweaking it a little for the freshmen and getting them competitive."

Amid the pandemic, this year's home event will look a bit different. Patrons' temperatures will be checked upon entrance at the Cody Stampede rodeo grounds, and the general public will be separated from the grounds and will be required to social distance.

With all these precautions, Nose's goal is for the rodeo to occur with no real speed bumps.

"Go off without any hiccups or anything," Nose said. "We're hoping that we can stay safe, and with the procedures, we're hoping COVID is kind of put to rest."

Though attending the rodeo will look different from past years, Nose hopes Trapper faithful is loud and proud come Friday.

"I'd just like to have support for the team," Nose said. "There are over 300 contestants, so it's very competitive, and we'd just like to have them come and support and try to make a success."