Celebrating Our Canadian Champions
* 2016 SADDLE BRONC CHAMP - CLAY ELLIOTT |
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story by Dave Poulsen |
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 For Clay Elliott It’s All About the Horses
“That’s kind of where I kept my mind the whole week... was on the bucking horses.”
That’s how Clay Elliott described his approach to the Canadian Finals Rodeo minutes after the second generation Nanton cowboy had clinched his first Canadian Saddle Bronc Riding championship.
“I kind of left it up to you guys (the media) and the announcers to let me know how I was doing,” Elliott noted. “All those other guys ride so dang good. I was just really fortunate to draw the right horses and then to stay on.
“For me that’s what it always comes back to—it’s the one thing that never changes and that’s the horses.”
And for Sunday’s final round, you had to know the 2015 National Intercollegiate Champion and 2016 Houston winner couldn’t have hand-picked a better mount for his title showdown than Outlaw Buckers’ Lunatic Party, the three time Canadian Champion Saddle Bronc.
“Yeah, I was really pleased to be able ride a bucking son of a gun like that,” Elliott smiled.
The soft-spoken talent came into Sunday’s final round with an $11,000 cushion on the second place man coming into the day—the always consistent Jim Berry, who had also drawn a good one—Bigstone Rodeo’s Rubels. That margin might have been greater had Elliott not been bucked off on Saturday night leaving the door just slightly open to Berry and a couple more elite bronc riders.
“Rodeo’s a game of short term memory,” the twenty-two year-old explained. “I gave myself about ten minutes to think about what happened Saturday night, correct what needed to be corrected and get ready for the next day.”
Elliott slammed that door shut, posting an 85 score to finish second in the round behind Layton Green and clinch the coveted title.
While basking in the glory of the victory, Elliott was not about to forget the people who have supported and mentored him over the years—one man in particular.
“Next to my family, the guy who I have as my biggest idol is Winston Bruce,” Elliott stated. “Lots of guys can ride bucking horses really well but that guy taught me how to win. He’s got it figured out and he’s got the gold buckle that says World Champion) on his belt to prove it. I’d like to have one of those myself.”
Elliott will be part of the eight man Canadian contingent heading for Las Vegas and he’s ready.
 “This fuels the fire right here,” he admitted. “I can’t wait to go down to Vegas and get on some more of the greatest horses in the world.”
Texan Audy Reed won the CFR average and finished third overall behind Berry while the sensational Calgary Stampede's Wild Cherry was named top saddle bronc of the CFR. |
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