COWBOYS OF TOMORROW TAKE CENTRE STAGE
November 14, 2009

Edmonton, AB – All eyes were on the youngest cowboys participating at the 36th Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) during the Saturday matinee, opening ceremonies at Rexall Place. All 12 contestants that make up the novice saddle bronc, novice bareback and boys steer riding events were lead out to the infield presented with buckles to commemorate their trip to CFR. The buckles were donated by a number of rodeo committees and businesses across western Canada.

“It's awesome, because it's such a huge deal to be here,” said Joseph Fentiman, who placed first in the fourth go of the novice bareback.

It was Family Day at the afternoon performance of the CFR, with 13,325 ticketholders in the building, including Fentiman's parents, visiting all the way from New Zealand, which made receiving that buckle that much more exciting, “because they can see me get it.”

“And we all get to go home with a little something,” added Rylan Geiger, the 2008 Canadian novice saddle bronc champion, who engaged in a little friendly competition with his brother, Kyreon.

The Saskatchewan brothers both went home with a buckle, making the ride back home a little smoother. Rylan picked up his second championship in a row, after the fifth performance Saturday evening.

“It's pretty exciting. It's hard to hope for anything better,” Rylan smiled.

Tie-down roper Murray Pole was all smiles, too, after his record-breaking run of 7.1 seconds, 1/10th of a second quicker than the CFR record set by Marty Becker in 1997. It was the first time Pole was quicker than eight seconds all week, but the Erskine, Alta. cowboy had no clue that he was even close to the record.

“That's what they're tellin' me out back. I never had that in the back of my mind. It wasn't really a goal of mine but if it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen. it makes it pretty exciting,” Pole grinned. “It's a record that I can strive to beat again.”

Ladies barrel racer Rana Walters almost broke another record, finishing the fifth go-round in a whirlwind 14.62 seconds. The fastest barrel time to date is 14.55 seconds, and was set back in 1978. But Walter will enter the history books, replacing Karen Claypool's second fastest CFR time of 14.69 seconds, set in 1976.

“It's so exciting. It'll be neat to be under Gayle Howes' name,” Walter beamed.

Competition has been fierce during this week's first five performances and it will be a battle to the end for the top contestants in each event as they vie for Canadian titles in the sixth and final performance on Sunday.

The action kicks off at 1 p.m. on Nov. 15. Visit www.rodeocanada.com for results from the first five go-rounds.

RESULTS:
All-Around Standings - Go 5
1. Kyle Thomson, Black Diamond, AB, $39,884; 2. Luke Butterfield, Ponoka, AB, $25,024; 3. Steven Turner, Cochrane, AB, $23,368

High Point Standings - Go 5
1. Kyle Thomson, Black Diamond, AB, $39,884; 2. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB, $36,898; 3. Luke Butterfield, Ponoka, AB, $25,024; 4. Logan Hodson, Telkwa, BC, $22,378; 5. Steven Turner, Cochrane, AB, $$23,368; Chad Bouchard, Rolling Hills, AB, $18,634

Saddle Bronc Riding - Go 5
1 Todd Herzog, Penhold, AB, 84.50 $10,847.62 (Kesler Rodeo Co.'s Castaway);2 Jim Berry, Rocky Mtn. House, AB, 83.75 $8,135.71;3/4 Alan Bandy, Wainwright, AB, 83.25 $4,067.86;3/4 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB, 83.25 $4,067.86;
Total Season Earnings
1 Todd Herzog, Penhold, AB $46,876.90;2 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB $46,137.67;3 Chet Johnson, Gillette, WY $46,049.14;4 Jim Berry, Rocky Mtn. House, AB $43,688.19;

Bareback Riding - Go 5
1 Kelly Timberman, Mills, WY, 85.75 $10,847.62 (Franklin Rodeo's Leaning Tower);2 Michael Solberg, Sunnynook, AB, 84.25 $8,135.71;3 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB, 84.00 $5,423.81;4 Russ Hallaby, Hanna, AB, 83.75 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB $54,302.24;2 Kelly Timberman, Mills, WY $50,378.24;3 Kyle Bowers, Brooks, AB $49,424.29;4 Luke Creasy, Brownfield, AB $29,209.33;

Bull Riding - Go 5
1 Kyle German, Crossfield, AB, 86.00 $10,847.62 (Big Stone Rodeo's Smokin' Bill); 2 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB, 85.25 $8,135.71;3 Devon Mezei, Scandia, AB, 85.00 $5,423.81;4 Jesse Torkelson, Winfield, AB, 84.50 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB $57,223.14;2 Devon Mezei, Scandia, AB $52,579.43;3 Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, AB $50,991.09;4 Scott Schiffner, Strathmore, AB $48,492.19;

Tie-Down Roping - Go 5
1 Murray Pole, Erskine, AB, 7.1 $10,847.62;2 Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID, 7.8 $8,135.71;3 Nathan Baldwin, Blackfoot, ID, 8.4 $5,423.81;4 Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, UT, 8.5 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, AB $49,017.14;2 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB $48,379.38;3 Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID $46,046.05;4 Nathan Baldwin, Blackfoot, ID $36,072.62;

Steer Wrestling - Go 5
1 Hunter Cure, Holliday, TX, 4.5 $10,847.62;2 Zane Hankel, Redcliff, AB, 4.6 $8,135.71;3 William Beierbach, Maple Creek, SK, 4.8 $5,423.81;4 Trevor Knowles, Mt. Vernon, OR, 4.9 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Cody Cassidy, Donalda, AB $59,154.29;2 Tanner Milan, Cochrane, AB $45,052.62;3 Hunter Cure, Holliday, TX $43,005.05;4 Lee Graves, Calgary, AB $38,879.62;

Ladies Barrel Racing - Go 5
1 Gaylene Buff, Westwold, BC, 14.71 $10,847.62;2/3 Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, TX, 14.74 $6,779.76;2/3 Rana Walter, Lethbridge, AB, 14.74 $6,779.76;4 Lisa Lockhart, Chadron, NE, 14.75 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Gaylene Buff, Westwold, BC $62,131.76;2 Rana Walter, Lethbridge, AB $51,711.81;3 Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, TX $50,038.76;4 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB $46,157.24;

Team Roping - Go 5
1 Levi Simpson, Claresholm, AB $1,885.71 & John Robertson, Polsen, MT $1,885.71, 4.2;2 Shane Schwenke, Harlem, MT $1,414.29 & Mike Beers, Post, OR $1,414.29, 4.3;3 Blair Stroh, Elkwater, AB $942.86 & Kevin Schreiner, Medicine Hat, AB $942.86, 4.9;4 Brian Larson, Medicine Hat, AB $471.43 & Scott Auclair, Ponoka, AB $471.43, 5.5;
Total Season Earnings (Header)
1 Travis Gallais, Olds, AB $17,979.57; 2 Shane Schwenke, Harlem, MT $16,985.29; 3 Blair Stroh, Elkwater, AB $16,600.43; 4 Levi Simpson, Claresholm, AB $16,278.43
Total Season Earnings (Heeler)
1. Kevin Schreiner, Medicine Hat, AB, $18,017; 2. Mike Beers, Post, OR, $17,038; 3. John Robertson, Polsen, MT; 4. Brett McCarroll, Camrose, AB, $15,564.00

Novice Saddle Bronc - Go 5
1 Kyreon Geiger, Gull Lake, SK, 76.00 $1,200.00;2 Rylan Geiger, Bracken, SK, 68.00 $800.00;
Total Season Earnings
1 Rylan Geiger, Bracken, SK $9,396.00;2 Kyreon Geiger, Gull Lake, SK $7,540.00;3 Wyatt Thurston, Big Valley, AB $2,787.00;
2009 Canadian Novice Saddle Bronc Riding Champion: Rylan Geiger

Novice Bareback - Go 5
1 Brady Bertram, Maple Creek, SK, 69.00 $1,200.00;2 Colin Adams, Deloraine, MB, 68.50 $800.00;
Total Season Earnings
1 Colin Adams, Deloraine, MB $10,413.00;2 Brady Bertram, Maple Creek, SK $8,217.00;3 Joseph Fentiman, New Zealand, $7,462.00;
2009 Canadian Novice Bareback Champion: Colin Adams

Boys Steer Riding - Go 5
1 Shay Marks, Sunnybrook, AB, 76.50 $750.01;2 Ty Ellis, Sonningdale, SK, 75.00 $450.00;
Total Season Earnings
1 Shay Marks, Sunnybrook, AB $8,607.00;2 Lonnie West, Cadogan, AB $4,828.99;3 Ty Ellis, Sonningdale, SK $4,532.00;4 Tristan Carlier, Medicin Hat, AB $4,482.00
2009 Canadian Boys Steer Riding Champion: Shay Marks