Crownpoint cowboy Tydon Tsosie heads to College National Finals Rodeo

Crownpoint cowboy Tydon Tsosie will put McKinley County on college rodeo’s biggest stage when he competes for Northwestern Oklahoma State University at the College National Finals Rodeo in Casper, Wyoming. He is one of several Navajo student-athletes who earned bids, adding another round of national representation for the Navajo Nation and the communities that have long backed rodeo as a path forward.

The College National Finals Rodeo runs June 14-20 at the Ford Wyoming Center, with the final short go scheduled for Saturday, June 20. The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association says the top 12 contestants in each event, along with the top 12 teams in team roping, will advance to that championship round. Fans who cannot make the trip will still be able to follow the action, with performances from Tuesday through Saturday, June 16-20, streaming on ESPN+.

For Crownpoint, Tsosie’s appearance carries a meaning that reaches well beyond one week in Wyoming. It shows that a rider from McKinley County can move from local arena competition into a national collegiate field, where skill, consistency and school support all have to come together. Northwestern Oklahoma State’s rodeo program competes in the NIRA Central Plains Region and has built a reputation in large, competitive fields, a reminder that Tsosie is entering a demanding pipeline rather than an exhibition stage.

The CNFR has been based in Casper for 28 years, making the Wyoming city a familiar proving ground for the sport’s best college riders. That history matters for Navajo families watching from home because it turns the trip north into something more than a single appearance. It is part of a continuing track where Diné student-athletes can earn college bids, carry their communities with them and compete under a national spotlight.

Recent results have shown how high that pipeline can reach. New Mexico State University cowboy Brad Moreno won the 2025 men’s all-around title in Casper with 255 points, a performance that underscored how Native and New Mexico riders continue to break through at the top level. Tsosie’s qualification adds a Crownpoint name to that same conversation, giving younger riders across the Navajo Nation a clear example of what the next level can look like.