Bobcat Rodeo Team Opens Fall Season in Cody, Wyoming
9/4/2025 6:57:00 PM | Men's Rodeo, Women's Rodeo
MSU looks to overcome loss of top men's team performers
BOZEMAN, Mont. (Sept. 5, 2025) – Montana State opens the 2025-26 Big Sky Region rodeo season this weekend at the Northwest College Rodeo in Cody, Wyoming.
The weekend's two single-head rodeos kick off a four-event fall season, the first of 10 rodeos for Big Sky Region teams. Montana State head coach Kyle Whitaker looks forward to his team to getting the season underway.
"I'm excited to get the season started," he said. "The women's team could be as good as any team since I've been here, and that's saying a lot. We've got some really tough cowgirls in every event. On the men's side we have some guys out this fall with injuries so we need some people to step up."
Reigning Big Sky Region champions Cole Gerhardt and Holden Atkinson are the prominent Bobcats missing the fall season. Gerhardt "is good at so many events that he can almost win the region by himself," Whitaker said. That's a big hold to fill. And Holden is a loss, too."
MSU's fifth-year head coach likes what he's seen from a strong crop of new freshmen. "We have some really tough freshman who I think will win a lot this weekend, we just have to keep their heads in the game for their first college rodeo. Even with two of our top returnees sidelined , I still expect big things out of this team."
The Cats compete in one rodeo Friday and a second on Saturday. The team caps the fall season with two-round events in Glendive on Set. 12-13 and Dillon on Sept. 26-27. The spring season consists of six rodeos in April.
#GoCatsGo
The weekend's two single-head rodeos kick off a four-event fall season, the first of 10 rodeos for Big Sky Region teams. Montana State head coach Kyle Whitaker looks forward to his team to getting the season underway.
"I'm excited to get the season started," he said. "The women's team could be as good as any team since I've been here, and that's saying a lot. We've got some really tough cowgirls in every event. On the men's side we have some guys out this fall with injuries so we need some people to step up."
Reigning Big Sky Region champions Cole Gerhardt and Holden Atkinson are the prominent Bobcats missing the fall season. Gerhardt "is good at so many events that he can almost win the region by himself," Whitaker said. That's a big hold to fill. And Holden is a loss, too."
MSU's fifth-year head coach likes what he's seen from a strong crop of new freshmen. "We have some really tough freshman who I think will win a lot this weekend, we just have to keep their heads in the game for their first college rodeo. Even with two of our top returnees sidelined , I still expect big things out of this team."
The Cats compete in one rodeo Friday and a second on Saturday. The team caps the fall season with two-round events in Glendive on Set. 12-13 and Dillon on Sept. 26-27. The spring season consists of six rodeos in April.
#GoCatsGo
Players Mentioned
/ Men's Rodeo
/ Men's Rodeo
Week 2 - #2 South Dakota State at #3 Montana State - Behind the Mic
Sunday, September 07
Week 2 - Cat Chat - Behind the Mic
Thursday, September 04
Brent Vigen // Press Conference // Sep. 1, 2025
Monday, September 01
Week 1 - #2 Montana State at #7 Oregon - Behind the Mic (Part 1 Pregame)
Sunday, August 31
