To say Cole Hermanson has put together his best year in bull riding is an understatement.

The Mandan cowboy won the prestigious Mandan Rodeo over the Fourth of July.

He has won more than $16,000 in prize money in the last three weeks. While he didn't have an exact figure available for total earnings, he did say this year has been the best payout for him.

Hermanson won the bull riding at the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo on Oct. 9-12. That earned him a spot in the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo in Pocatello, Idaho, April 8-11 the first time he qualified for the competition.

"It's pretty cool," Hermanson said. "I'm excited to go."

Why has Hermanson put together such a good year? Nothing has changed in his technique, he said.

"Ijust want it more,"he said. "Iwant to win everything I go to. The desire to win is so much bigger. When I go now, I ain't satisfied with anything except winning it."

Hermanson has added a couple more rodeos on his docket before traveling to Idaho. He plans to compete in a PRCA event in Arizona. He will also travel to the Carolinas for a Professional Bull Riders event.

"There will be just as good bull riders at those events as in Pocatello," Hermanson said. "If there's not some big rodeo, I'll go to the small ones, just to stay sharp. The more bulls you get on, the better you usually ride."

College success

A couple of Mandan cowboys have been having success at Central Wyoming College in Riverton.

Ty Breuer and Riley Knoll have helped CWC finish first in the Central Rocky Mountain Region and at the Laramie County Community College Rodeo.

Breuer, a bareback rider, is in second place in the region and is ranked eighth nationally. He won the average at the LCCC Rodeo.

Breuer participated in a PRCA rodeo in Casper, Wyo. a tribute to Chris LeDoux, who died on March 9, 2005.

With more than 20 bareback riders competing, Breuer tied for third.

Knoll, a saddle bronc rider, is in seventh in the CRMR region.

Hausauer wins title

Dickinson native Dusty Hausauer won the Canadian saddle bronc championship title for 2008. He will compete in the National Finals Rodeo in December along with traveling partner Shaun Stroh.