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COWBOY CHRISTMAS 2023
Cowboy Christmas
87TH PONOKA STAMPEDE - June 26-July 2 - SMS Equipment Pro Tour Rodeo

* World Class Competitors - Stock-Contestant Draw Here
* Live streamed on The Cowboy Channel
* Further details at PonokaStampede.com
95th WILLIAMS LAKE STAMPEDE - June 30-July 2 - SMS Equipment Pro Tour Rodeo

* Historic B.C. Stampede - Click for Contestant-Stock Roster
* Live streamed on The Cowboy Channel
* More information at WilliamsLakeStampede.com
AIRDRIE PRO RODEO - June 30-July 1 - Maple Leaf Circuit Rodeo

* Canada Day Pro Rodeo just outside Calgary!
* Check out Contestant LIne-Up
* More information at AirdrieProRodeo.com
RAYMOND STAMPEDE - June 29-July 1 - Maple Leaf Circuit Rodeo

* History & Tradition in southern Alberta - Stock-Competitor draw here
* 112th Raymond Stampede - one of Canada's oldest rodeos!
* More information here
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THREE RODEOS ON TAP FOR FIRST WEEKEND IN MAY
Grande Prairie StompedeGrande Prairie Stompede Celebrates Western Tradition

- SMS Equipment Inc. Pro Tour stop
- CPRA action June 1-4. Slack perf May 31 at noon
- Wayne Vold Rodeo Co. stock
- CPRA, PRCA & WPRA competitors
- Chuckwagon Races, Parade, Barbecues, Arts & Culture Expo, Dance in the Dirt, Kids Events and more!

- Athlete-Stock roster
- Tickets, Schedule, added info here
- Will be live-streamed on THE COWBOY CHANNEL - click for details

Black Gold RodeoFor over 50 years, the Leduc Black Gold Pro Rodeo has been celebrating western lifestyle and keeping the rodeo tradition alive. And 2023 – the 54th Anniversary – promises even more excitement, entertainment and top professional rodeo action!

* June 1-4 with rodeo performances at 7 pm Thurs and Fri; 1 and 7:30 pm Sat... and a free slack perf June 1 at 8 am

* CONTESTANT-STOCK DRAW

Among the other highlights you can expect: Midway, Tradefair, Lions Club Barbecue, Dance in the Dirt, Family Fun Fair, Classic Car Show, Pancake Breakfast & more

For a complete Schedule, details and ticket info, see

www.blackgoldrodeo.com/
Hand Hills Lake StampedeHistorical rodeo that offers a unique "Up Close and Personal" experience for fans and competitors – Hand Hills Lake Stampede is celebrating 105 remarkable years this weekend!

Get in on all the action June 2-4, 2023 in the picturesque Hand Hills of east central Alberta.

* Calgary Stampede Rodeo stock
* Free slack performance - Friday at noon
* Professional competitors from across North America & beyond
* CPRA Dress Act of the Year Piper Yule will be performing
* Trade fair, cabaret, wild pony races, pancake breakfast, camping, homemade pie (& other great food) and a beer garden are only a few of the added elements of the Hand Hills Stampede.

Stock-competitor roster here: http://rodeocanada.com/Draws-2023/hand-hills-june3-4.htm

Further details at this link: http://www.handhills.ab.ca/
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IMPRESSIVE WEEKEND FOR CANADIAN COWBOYS SOUTH OF THE LINE

South of the '49Canadian cowboys authored an impressive weekend on the world rodeo stage with four big wins.

Veteran steer wrestler Curtis Cassidy chalked up the first California title of his outstanding career as he topped the field in Redding Rodeo, placing in both go-rounds and winning the average (9.7 seconds) for a tidy $4300 plus payoff. The holder of 12 Canadian championships was riding fellow Canadian, Tanner Milan’s outstanding dogging horse, Eddie, as Curtis’s own superstar mount, Tyson, is enjoying a well-earned pasture vacation back home in Donalda, AB.

Also at Redding, Parkland, Alberta bronc rider, Quinten Taylor (aka Q) grabbed the bronc riding title with a sensational 88.5 on Bridwell Pro Rodeos Indian Burn for $5105. The win keeps Taylor very much in the hunt for PRCA Rookie of the Year honours while moving him to 20th place in the world standings with over $34,000 in season earnings.

Meanwhile over in Montana, three-time World and Canadian Champion Zeke Thurston spurred out a stunning 91 point ride on Burch Rodeo Company's Lunatic From Hell to capture top honours at the World Famous Miles City Bucking Horse Sale Xtreme Bronc Match. The win earned the world’s number three ranked bronc rider a big-time $12,800 payday. But as impressive as the Big Valley, talent’s win was, the bucking horse’s storyline is even more remarkable. While this was the first time the second-generation bronc rider won the event, it was the fifth time in the last six years that the winning ride was made on Lunatic From Hell.

And Charlie Lake, British Columbia bronc rider Tyrel Roberts was working a little magic of his own as the runner-up for the 2021 Canadian Novice bronc title teamed up with Four Star Rodeo Co's Toodaloo for 85 points and a $2335 first-place payday at Wild Rogue Pro Rodeo in Central Point, Oregon.

Unfortunately, not all the news was good as Wildwood, Alberta’s Logan Hay, coming off a spectacular 2022 season that saw him win the Calgary Stampede's $50,000 bonus cheque and earn berths at both the CFR and NFR (finishing 3rd in the world standings) was injured at Redding when his horse fell on top of him breaking a bone in his free arm. Hay who also came out of the freakish (and scary) incident with a concussion, will require surgery on the arm and will be sidelined for an indeterminate amount of time.

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SOUTH OF '49 STANDINGS CHECK-IN

Dawson HayMay 17, 2023 – Dawson Hay continued his strong season to date with another big win—this one at Friday night’s “Battle of the Best” bronc riding event at Coarsegold, California. The third generation Wildwood, Alberta talent won one of the four sections that made up a kind of long go with the four section winners then meeting in the final. Three of the four finalists were Canadians—Hay marking 88.5 points in the final to take home over $16,000. Layton Green was second and Kolby Wanchuk ended up fourth.

The win vaulted Hay all the way to fourth place in the world bronc riding standings as four Canadians now sit inside the top fifteen. Three-time World and Canadian Champion Zeke Thurston is 3rd, Hay is 4th, Ben Anderson is 8th and Green is 13th. Logan Hay is just out of the top fifteen at 17th as Canadian bronc riders continue to have what has become something of a familiar and dominating presence in the bronc riding world in recent years.

In the bareback riding, 2022 CFR qualifier Leighton Berry remains atop the standings after the Texan’s amazing run that saw him win just about everything in the Lone Star State. American CFR regulars Caleb Bennett and Richmond Champion sit 20th and 21st respectively with Canadian Kody Lamb enjoying a strong spring season and sitting 25th in the world standings.

2016 World Heeling Champion Jeremy Buhler and his Utah partner Rhen Richard continue to lead the world standings by a fairly comfortable margin due at least in part to their brilliant Houston Shoot Out Win in March. Meanwhile in the tie down roping, four-time Canadian Champion Shane Hanchey is a man on the move in recent weeks and has climbed all the way to 12th place after an uncharacteristically slow start to his season. Haven Meged, 2019 runner-up for the Canadian title and World champ that same year [recently married to pro breakaway roper, Canadian, Shelby Boisjoii] is 13th while last year’s Canadian Champion, Ty Harris sits 14th in the world.

Three-time CFR qualifier Jackie Ganter sits 3rd in the barrel racing ranks as the Texas cowgirl has enjoyed one of the best season starts of her career. And another four-time Canadian Champion, Lisa Lockhart, is just one spot out of the top fifteen at this early point in the season. Back-to-back Canadian Breakaway Champion (1921-22) Kendal Pierson is holding down the 22nd position in the standings as the Wardlow, AB roper vies for her first trip to the NFR.

Seven-time World Bull Riding Champion Sage Kimzey has also been making a move of late. The 2019 CFR qualifier (who finished third in Canada that season) is now a solid 8th overall and looks to be regaining his championship form once again.
British Columbia steer wrestler Stephen Culling is making a big push for an NFR berth and sits 14th as of this writing just one spot behind 2022 CFR qualifier JD Struxness.

With the season heating up on both sides of the border over the next weeks, rodeo fans can expect big moves both up and down the standings as the drama of rodeo becomes even more evident with every passing week.

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THE NEW SEASON–TWO PERSPECTIVES
Stephen CullingOne veteran cowboy, one young gun. Different approaches, similar end game.

Stephen Culling had just crossed the border, returning to Canada after a successful winter run south of 49 that sees him, as of this writing, in 11th place in the world steer wrestling standings.

“This was one of my best runs at the winter rodeos, for sure,” he acknowledged. “I had a good winter in 2019 as well but I didn’t realty capitalize on that success.”

This time around, Culling has his sights set on two Finals—the Canadian Finals in Red Deer and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

“I’m feeling good, I’ve been having some luck and the horses are really sharp,” the 11 year pro added, pointing to the three ingredients that have him feeling good about the 2023 season. With a couple of boxes already checked, the BC cowboy would like to add a good start to the Canadian season as the next important step in reaching his clearly defined goals.

“A good start in Canada takes some of the pressure off later in the season when a guy wants to be concentrating on the American rodeos. It would be nice to be one of the top five or seven guys in the world standings going into the last part of the year instead of one of those guys down around fourteen or fifteen and have to deal with that pressure.”

Cruz McNultyCulling, who was the 2016 PRCA Steer Wrestling Rookie of the Year, credits the horses he’s been riding with a big part of his success to date. “When you’re riding Eddie, Tanner Milan’s horse or Tyson, Curtis Cassidy’s horse, things are gonna go right a lot of the time,” he noted. “Plus having those guys (Milan and Cassidy) in your corner—they’ve been there and done that—is a huge help too.”

With the first two stops in the Canadian season—Medicine Hat and Dawson Creek--set to kick off the Canadian schedule, Culling is anxious to get it going. “I’m looking forward to Medicine Hat, and Dawson Creek is pretty much my hometown rodeo. I just hope I can get there.” (it will depend on how last year’s runner-up for the Canadian title is faring at Red Bluff, California, which runs concurrently with Dawson).

But one thing is for certain; Stephen Culling has a plan. “It’s pretty simple. I want to be at both Finals and I’m going to put in the effort to be there.”

Meanwhile, Saskatchewan bareback rider Cruz McNulty, is set to embark on his sophomore season. Like the veteran Culling, McNulty enjoyed some success in the US, particularly in recent weeks that’s saw him pick up wins at Yuma, Arizona and Fargo, North Dakota and a second-place finish at Minot, North Dakota. Those results, coupled with his strong finish to the 2023 Canadian rodeo season have the 22 year old primed and ready for the year ahead.

“I’m really excited,” he stated. “and I’m hitting the ground running. I don’t feel like the rookie anymore: I feel like I belong in that dressing room with those guys.”

While 2022 was a season that saw McNulty became close friends with everyone on the Sport Medicine Team, courtesy of a torn ACL and MCL at Innisfail, this year he feels ready, both physically and mentally, for the challenges ahead.

“I spent a lot of time in the gym over the winter and feel great,” the 2021 Canadian Novice Champion stated.

But McNulty admits that he struggled with the mental part of rodeo in 2022. “After Ponoka I was ready to shut it down for the rest of the year. I phoned my mom and told her I was coming home and that I was done for the season. And she said, ‘no, you’re not. You’re going to keep going.’ So I did and things turned around. I owe her a lot for the support she’s given me all along the way.”

For McNulty, the goal is very clear, a first trip to the CFR in the bareback riding. “It’s something I’ve looked forward to since 2014—to be able to be in that dressing room at the CFR with all those guys.” And the young talent is changing things up a little this year. “I’ve got a different attitude, I really don’t think about bareback riding. My attitude is, I get to do this for a living. I’m just going to have some fun.”

And don’t be surprised if while he’s having fun riding bucking horses, this Biggar, Saskatchewan cowboy just might realize that CFR dream.
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SOUTH OF 49 SUCCESS STORIES
Stephen CullingMarch 26, 2023 - It was payday for a number of rodeo athletes with CPRA affiliations as Rodeo Austin wrapped up a two week run in the Texas city.

British Columbia steer wrestler Stephen Culling walked out of Austin with $11,236 after a second-place finish. The runner-up for the 2022 Canadian title recorded times of 3.7, 4.2 and 3.6 (second in the finals) over the three rounds and was once again mounted on Tanner Milan’s outstanding bulldogging horse, Eddie. Curtis Cassidy collected $3516, courtesy of a 3.6 second run that was good for second spot in the opening round.

A couple of 2022 CFR qualifiers cashed sizable cheques in the bareback riding. World standings leader–and 2022 CFR qualifier–Leighton Berry continued his hot Texas run (wins at San Antonio and Houston) splitting 2-3 in the Austin finals and adding $14,046 to the Weatherford, Texas cowboy’s season earnings. Canadian Kody Lamb wound up in fourth spot and collected $3948.

Bronc riders Zeke Thurston and Quinten Taylor were part of a 2-5 split with 88-point rides in the Austin Finals. Thurston, the current #3 in the world standings picked up a total of $9628, due in large measure to his 91.5 ride on Andrews Rodeo’s All or Nothing to win the second round. Taylor‘s share of the pot was $6277. Dawson Hay hit the board with an 87.5 ride in round two for a $3396 stipend.

And in the tie-down roping, Stettler, Alberta’s Beau Cooper rebounded from the well-documented disappointment of Houston to finish 3rd overall for a tidy $7476 payoff. Cooper posted times of 8.1. 8.7 and 7.8 seconds over the three rounds.

Meanwhile, to the north in Watford City, North Dakota’s PRCA Extreme Bares And Broncs event, 2018 Canadian Champion Richmond Champion put together an 87 point ride for a first place $5161. On the bronc riding side, Canada was front and center with Ben Andersen riding to the win with an 84.5 point effort on Summit Rodeo’s Corina for $5245 while K’s Thomson (81 points, $2972) and Lucas Macza, Layton Green and Chance Barrass all posted 80.5 rides for a 4-6 split and $1340 apiece.

In PRCA rodeo action at nearby Fargo, North Dakota, Cruz McNulty was the top gun in the bareback riding. The Biggar, Saskatchewan cowboy’s 82-point ride earned him the first- lace cheque for $1588. Macza added $1483 to his weekend haul with a 76 point ride to capture second place in the bronc riding while Manitoba’s Stran Dunham was third in the tie-down roping with 11.0 for $652.

And in what turned out to be a busy North Dakota weekend, McNulty repeated his 82 point effort, this time for second spot at Rodeo Minot worth $945 while CFR/NFR bronc rider Jake Watson was 79 points for second and $1086.

And in the Waxahachie, Texas breakaway roping, reigning Canadian champion, Kendal Pierson, added to her spring winnings with a 2.5 second sixth place finish for $1177.
Rhen Richard, Jeremy Buhler, Leighton BerryTexas Two-Step

March 19, 2023 - Three CPRA cowboys made history as they walked away from the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as Champions. The win paid each $50,000 in prize money.

For 2022 CFR qualifier, Leighton Berry, the win came courtesy of a 90-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s Yippee Kibitz in the Championship Shootout. It capped a remarkable month that saw the Texan take home titles at both San Antonio and Houston for over $80,000 in earnings between the two stops.

2016 World Champion and two-time Canadian Champion heeler, Jeremy Buhler, and his Utah partner, Rhen Richard put together a 5.5 second run that held up for the team roping win and put $50,000 bonus cheques into their bank accounts. Counting round money over the course of the 20 day event, the Arrowwood hand and Richard topped out at over $55,000 each.

Canadian bronc riders Ben Andersen and Zeke Thurston finished third and fourth (for $10,000 and $5500 respectively) in the Showdown behind back-to-back winner Sage Newman whose 90-point effort earned the win for the Montana cowboy.

The other Canadian who made his presence felt was Stettler, Alberta's Beau Cooper who was called for a broken barrier in the tie-down roping Showdown finale to finish fourth ($5500) after a superb effort throughout the famed event. Season leader Riley Webb padded that lead with the roping win—8.9 seconds Sunday afternoon.

Other 2023 Rodeo Houston Champions included barrel racer Jordon Briggs, also a repeat winner (14.73 seconds), steer wrestler Dalton Massey (4.5 seconds). Massey earned the win aboard Canadian bull dogging horse, Eddie, owned by Tanner Milan, Edditbull rider Ky Hamilton (90.5 points) and breakaway roper Hali Williams who was 3.6 seconds for the Shootout win.
Beau CooperMarch 18, 2023 - A couple of dramatic runs on Saturday night means two more Canadians will be part of the grand finale to the 2023 edition of the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo.

The two timed-event hands, Beau Cooper and Stephen Culling, made the most of at the last opportunity to grab a berth in the Finals—the second Wild Card Round on Saturday night.

2022 CFR qualifier, Cooper, topped the field of tie down ropers on Saturday night with a 9.0 second run. That time and the $3000 that went with it puts the Stettler, AB roper on a finals roster that includes eight competitors who qualified through the semi-finals and the top gun from Wild Card 1 that happened last night.

Stephen CullingAnd joining Cooper for the drama of Houston’s Championship Sunday will be BC’s ever-consistent Culling in the steer wrestling. The Pouce Coupe, BC product who was runner-up for the Canadian title in 2022 emerged from a tough Wild Card Two round with a 10.5 second winning run ($3000) to stake his claim for a Sunday shot at the mega-dollars up for grabs at the NRG Stadium tomorrow.

The two cowboys would love nothing better than to etch their names in the history books alongside the likes of Dunham, Burwash, Hay, Daines, Sears, Thurston, Laye, Vold, Elliott, Cassidy and other CPRA affiliated past winners.
Richmond Champion on Stevie KnicksMarch 16, 2023 - The semi-final rounds at the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo has been completed and a number of competitors with CPRA ties have clinched berths in the mega-rich Finals this Sunday.

In Semi-final one action, World and Canadian champ team roper Levi Simpson and his Texas partner Corey Hendrick bested the field in their event with a 5.3 second run ($3000) and will lead the four qualifiers out of semi-final one into Sunday. 2018 CFR qualifier Brenten Hall (who finished second in Canada that year) combined with heeler Paden Bray for a 6.2 ($750) for the fourth and final qualifying spot from the first semi-final round.

2018 Canadian champion bareback rider, Richmond Champion, continued his successful return from the injury that sidelined him in 2022 and is among the four cowboys who will be vying for the Houston top prize. Champion was 84 points ($2000) to move on, second only to world champion Tim O’Connell who posted the top mark in the first of two semi-finals with an 85.5 mark ($3000) on Calgary Stampede’s Zulu Warrior.

Three-time World and Canadian champion bronc rider Zeke Thurston caught fourth place, courtesy of an 85.5-point effort ($750) to secure his spot in the Finals. And a couple of past Canadian titleists were among the tie-down ropers moving on. Matt Shiozawa and Tuf Cooper (first and third, $3000 and $875) respectively in the semis will be among the contenders for the coveted Houston title.

The second semi-final added more names to the group Canadian fans will be watching. Bareback rider Leighton Berry continued to have the hot hand and cruised to top spot in the second semi with an 87.5-point ride ($3000) at the NRG Stadium. Fellow 2022 CFR qualifier JD Struxness continued his winning ways in the steer wrestling with a second place 4.8 second run, good for the runner-up spot ($2000) while team ropers Jeremy Buhler and Rhen Richard stayed consistent with a second place 5.2 ($2000) to earn a Sunday return to the NRG Stadium.

Bronc rider Ben Anderson rounded out the list of CPRA successes as he rode his way to second place ($2000) with an 85-point effort. Next up are the Wild Card rounds (another opportunity for the semi-finalists who didn’t move on). The two wild card rounds on Friday and Saturday will set the stage for Sunday’s mega-rich finale.
Layton-GreenMarch 14, 2023 - With the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo Super Series rounds wrapped up, a few more CPRA rodeo athletes booked their reservations for the upcoming semi-final rounds.

2017 Canadian bronc riding champion Layton Green led the way with a solid Super Series 5 performance, that saw the Millarville (via Meeting Creek), Alberta product post a win in one of the three go-rounds comprising the series, a 1-2 split and a third in the other for a $6500 payday. Steer wrestlers JD Struxness ($3750) and Bridger Chambers ($3250) and team ropers Jeremy Buhler and Rhen Richard (2-3 with 3750 each) will also move into playoff competition.

In the Bull Riding, Canadians Champions Jared Parsonage and Jordan Hansen played a little “if-you-can-do-it-I-can-do-it”. After the traveling partners both placed in the first round, Hansen saw his 73 point ride in the second go-round hold up as the only ride that night giving the reigning Canadian titleist all $7500 for that round. Then in last night’s third round, it was Parsonage’s turn to make the solo trip to the pay window with a 79 point ride as everyone else bucked off. Both men will gear up for the semi-finals that kicks off tonight in the NRG Stadium.

The two semi-final rounds send the top four athletes in each event to the championship, while the remaining six competitors move to the Wild Card rounds for a second chance at earning a spot in Championship Sunday. From each Wild Card round, the top athlete in each event advances to Sunday.

Meanwhile a few Canadians came up with big efforts at Scottsdale, Arizona’s Parada Del Sol Pro Rodeo. Steer wrestler Denver Roy bulldogged his steer in 4.4 seconds for a $1472 win while in the tie-down roping Cooper Resch topped the field with a 9.3 second run for $1840. And CFR breakaway roper, Lakota Bird picked up the win in her event with a 2.4 second effort and $2,076.
Rodeo HoustonMarch 12, 2023 - The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s representation in the upcoming Rodeo Houston semi-finals grew once again as Super Series 4 wrapped up last night.

Joining the playoff roster is Canadian Bareback Riding Champion Orin Larsen who caught the third of four available semi-finals berths up for grabs, winning $3000 over the three rounds of the series. Larsen is on the comeback trail after being on the shelf for three months while dealing with a surgical repair of a broken thumb on his riding hand suffered at the 2022 NFR.

Other CPRA athletes moving on are tie down ropers Tuf Cooper (2010 Canadian Champion) who was second in this pool with $4875 and and Stettler, AB 2022 CFR qualifier, Beau Cooper, (no relation) who was third with $3000.

Another Canadian titleist, Kolton Schmidt and his Washington partner, Jake Minor, locked down third place in Super Series 4 with $2750 to earn their semi-final qualification.

The American RodeoAnd at The American Rodeo–presented by Teton Ridge–which wrapped up this weekend at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, a pair of Canadian champions proved their mettle once again. Four-time Canadian barrel racing champion Lisa Lockhart won her third American title while reigning Canadian tie-down roping champ Ty Harris captured top spot and split the million-dollar bonus cheque with fellow Texan and breakaway roper Jackie Crawford. Canada’s Dawson Hay narrowly missed out on another share of the million dollar bonus cheque in the bronc riding as he was edged out in a ride off by World Champion Stetson Wright.
Levi SimpsonRodeo Houston Update - Mar 11, 2023 - With the top four in each event moving on to the playoff rounds, CPRA athletes who came out of Super Series 3 with semi-finals dates locked up were Canadian and World Champion header Levi Simpson who teamed up with Corey Hendricks for third ($3250) in team roping and bronc riders Logan Hay and Zeke Thurston. Hay topped this pool with $6000 while the three-time and reigning Canadian and World Champion captured second spot with $4500. (And reigning Canadian Breakaway Roping Champion, Kendal Pierson, qualified for the semi's as well... see details below.)

2019 Canadian Bareback Champion Orin Larsen celebrated his return to rodeo with an 85.5 point ride to split first place (with Will Lowe) in the first round of Super Series 4. Larsen had been out of action since he required surgery to repair a broken thumb suffered at the NFR in December.
Shelby & Kendal PiersonMar 8, 2023 - It’s been a special Houston Stock Show and Rodeo for the Pierson family of Wardlow, Alberta.

While Shelby is making her first appearance in the NRG Stadium as a Specialty Act, sister Kendal (reigning Canadian BAW Champ) has punched her ticket to the semi-finals in the breakaway roping, finishing in a tie for third with $3000 in Super Series 3.

That pool wrapped up fittingly on International Women’s Day as the CPRA celebrated the contributions of women to our sport through the years.

With the top four in each event moving on to the playoff rounds, other CPRA athletes who came out of Super Series 3 with semi-finals dates locked up were Canadian and World Champion header Levi Simpson who teamed up with Corey Hendricks for third ($3250) in team roping and bronc riders Logan Hay and Zeke Thurston. Hay topped this pool with $6000 while the three-time and reigning Canadian and World Champion captured second spot with $4500.

2019 Canadian Bareback Champion Orin Larsen celebrated his return to rodeo with an 85.5 point ride to split first place (with Will Lowe) in the first round of Super Series 4. Larsen had been out of action since he required surgery to repair a broken thumb suffered at the NFR in December.

Dillon & Dawson GrahamMar 5, 2023 - As the second Super Series at the Houston Stock Show and Rodeo wrapped up, a number of athletes with CPRA ties will be moving on to the semi-finals.

Reigning Canadian Champion team ropers Dawson and Dillon Graham posted two seconds and a third round win en route to $7000 and a berth in the semi-finals.

Bareback rider Leighton Berry continued his excellent start to the 2023 rodeo season qualifying second out of his group with $4375 over the three rounds to move on. The Texas cowboy was at his first CFR in 2022 and is coming off a huge win at San Antonio that has him sitting 3rd in the world standings.

Steer wrestlers Jesse Brown, Bridger Anderson and Stephen Culling will be among the four moving through to the semi-final rounds, Brown with $6250, Anderson with $5000 and Culling with $3750. Culling captured his round win on a Canadian bull dogging horse, Eddie, owned by Tanner Milan while Jesse Brown collected two round wins on the back of Curtis Cassidy’s superstar dogging horse, Dashin Haze (Tyson).

Bronc rider Ben Anderson needed a big time ride in the third round of Super Series Two to punch his ticket to the semis and he got that ride on the back of the Calgary Stampede’s Xena Warrior. The Canadian duo combined for 87.5 to give Anderson $3750 and third place in that pool.

And in the tie down roping, two-time Canadian Champion (2014 and 2016) Matt Shiozawa will be heading to the semi-finals, qualifying second out of this Super Series with a $4500 haul.

Also playing prominent roles in the NRG Stadium are veteran Canadian pickup man, Gary Rempel, and CPRA Specialty Act of the Year performer, Shelby Pierson, making her first appearance at the famed Texas rodeo.

Elsewhere, Stettler, Alberta tie-down roper, Beau Cooper, got the win at the Matagorda County Fair and Livestock Exposition, Bay City, TX. Cooper was 8.6 seconds for a $1751 payday.
HoustonMarch 4, 2023 - With the first of five Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Superseries completed, a trio of CPRA competitors have qualified to move on to the semi-finals.

Bareback riders Richmond Champion and Kody Lamb along with tie down roper Haven Meged all have a semi-final date in a couple of weeks at the NRG Center. Champion is a former Canadian titleist, winning the bareback riding crown in 2018; Lamb, the lone Canadian to move on has been to a couple of CFRs while Meged was in Red Deer in 2019, just a month prior to winning the world tie-down roping title.

A couple of Calgary Stampede buckers have also made some noise in Houston—Blasting Sand carried Clayton Biglow to a bareback riding go-round win with an 88 point mark and Arbitrator Joe was matched up with Brody Cress—the result an 86.5 point round win for Cress.

So far in Superseries II, after two rounds, bull dogger Stephen Culling and defending Canadian Champion team ropers Dawson and Dillon Graham are among those Pro Rodeo Canada athletes enjoying solid success. All are hoping for a third strong performance and a possible qualification to the semi’s.

The legendary rodeo runs from Feb 28 to March 19. … more to come in the days ahead.

* full in progress results here
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South of '49 Success
Feb 27, 2023 - It was another solid week for Pro Rodeo Canada athletes as a couple of major US stops wrapped up. 2022 CFR qualifying bareback rider Leighton Berry had a huge San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo performance capped off with a 93 point effort on Frontier Rodeo’s Gunfire in the finals for the win and a whopping $23,500 payday.

Zeke Thurston had a typical Zeke Thurston week, topping the field at Tucson’s La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros (88.5 in the long go and 88 in the short go) for the average win and a tidy $8000 payday. That, combined with a 90.5 point 2/3 split in the San Antonio finals (only Stetson Wright’s record-setting 92.5 was better) and a sizable $15,500 cheque, moved the three-time World and Canadian champion to second place in the world standings with over $45,000 won to date.

Other notable showings by CPRA members included barrel racer Bayleigh Choate’s second place finish at San Antonio which netted the 2022 CPRA-PRCA Rookie of the Year $17,000.

And Canadian-raised Texan and WPRA competitor, Shelby Boisjoli, secured the breakaway roping win at San Antonio - adding over $10,000 to her bank account.

On the livestock side, Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year on both sides of the 49th parallel Tyson (owned by Curtis Cassidy) was spectacular once again. Three of the top five finishers in the San Antonio finals were riding Tyson. Curtis Cassidy’s amazing gelding carried Jesse Brown to a 3.1 second winning run along with Kyle Irwin’s second place 3.7 and Stockton Graves’ 4/5 spilt with a 4.1 second run.

* For complete results and updated World standings, see prorodeo.com

Photo credits: CPRA and Women's Professional Rodeo Association/WPRA
2023 San Antionio Stock Show & Rodeo Champions were all-around cowboy Stetson Wright ($44,750); bareback rider Leighton Berry (93 points); steer wrestler Jesse Brown (3.1 seconds); team ropers Dustin Egusquiza/Levi Lord (4.1 seconds); breakaway roper Shelby Boisjoli (1.7 seconds); tie-down roper Riley Pruitt (7.2 seconds); barrel racer Kassie Mowry (13.95 seconds) and bull rider Jeff Askey (90 points).

* full results here
South of '49Feb 25, 2023 - Several Canadian Professional Rodeo Association athletes will be in the mix for the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Finals slated for tonight in the Texas hub.

Canadian bronc rider Layton Green came up huge in the second semi-final last night, winning the round with an 85.5 point ride on Cervi Championship Rodeo’s Alpha Dog to punch his ticket to the Finals. He’ll be joined by three-time World and Canadian Champion Zeke Thurston and Ben Anderson (from the first semi-final round).

The bronc riders will be accompanied by Montana steer wrestler Bridger Chambers, four-time Canadian Champion Shane Hanchey and 2020 World Champion (and CFR qualifier) Haven Meged in tie down roping, barrel racers Bayleigh Choate and Jackie Ganter along with seven-time world champion and 2019 CFR qualifier Sage Kimzey.

Others who could add their names to the Finals roster via this afternoon's Wild Card Round are bareback riders Pascal Isabelle, Caleb Bennett and Leighton Berry; team ropers Rhen Richard/Jeremy Buhler, Shay Carroll/Evan Arnold and Erich Rogers/Paul Eaves; bronc riders Quinten Taylor and Kolby Wanchuk and barrel racer Lisa Lockhart.

Tucson RodeoThurston is also atop the leaderboard at Tucson’s La Fiesta de Los Vaqueros courtesy of his 88.5 effort on Beutler and Sons Nutrena’s Four Aces.

Also faring well at the Arizona rodeo are barrel racers Lockhart (3rd) and Canadian Suzanne Depaoli (4/5 split) and team ropers Jeremy Buhler and Rhen Richard (splitting 6th).

Canadians Quentin Taylor and Lucas Macza were 1-2 in the bronc riding at the Brighton Field Day and Rodeo at Okeechobee, Florida. Taylor put together an 85 point effort on C5 Rodeo’s Shattered Lunatic for $2730 while CFR qualifier Macza posted an 83 score for $2093.
Ben AndersenFeb 19, 2023 - Ben Andersen continues to have the hot hand as the winter rodeo season progresses south of the border. The Rocky Mountain House, Alberta cowboy put up a big-time 90 point ride on Brookman Rodeo’s Ragin Lunatic for a $5725 first place cheque at the Dixie National Rodeo in Jackson, Mississippi. That comes on top of his solid performance in the elimination brackets at San Antonio that featured two go round wins and a $6500 payday en route to the semi-finals.

Andersen has moved to 11th place in the world standings and is one of four Canadian bronc riders in the top 15 in the world; the others are Zeke Thurston (3rd), Dawson Hay (9th) and Logan Hay (14th).

2022 CFR qualifiers JD Struxness in steer wrestling, Bailey Choate in barrel racing and 2016 CFR team roper Shay Carroll all qualified out of the 4th bracket for the San Antonio playoff rounds. Choate split 2/3 in the bracket to collect $3500 to move on; Carroll and partner Evan Arnold captured second place for $4250 and Struxness hung on for third place with $3500 to punch his ticket to the semis.

* World Pro Rodeo Standings here
SASSRFeb 17, 2023 - The Canadian saddle bronc posse was riding high once again in San Antonio as Ben Andersen, Layton Green and Quinten Taylor moved on to the playoff rounds out of bracket three..., Andersen courtesy of two round wins and a third in the other for $6500 and Green by virtue of a 2/3 spilt in the first round (with Logan Hay) and a ½ split in the third round for $4,000.

2019 Canadian Finals Rodeo steer wrestling qualifier Bridger Chambers equaled Andersen’s effort and parlayed his two round wins and third place in the other round to $6500 of his own and a spot in the upcoming semi-final rounds. And 2012 Canadian Champion heeler, Paul Eaves and his heading partner, Erich Rogers collected $3500 in the bracket to grab a berth in the semis that will get underway after the completion of the five qualifying brackets. Bracket four kicked off Thurs evening in the Dickies Centre.

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Feb 13, 2023 - With two of five qualifying brackets completed at the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, CPRA competitors have been making some noise.

Among the bareback riders moving on to the playoff rounds are Canadian Pascal Isabelle and many time CFR and NFR qualifier Caleb Bennett.

Jeremy Buhler, (World and Canadian titleholder) and his Utah heading partner Rhen Richard will be part of the team roping contingent moving on with World Champion tie-down ropers Shane Hanchey (four time Canadian champion) and Haven Meged (runner-up for the Canadian crown in 2019) also having qualified out of their bracket.

Reigning World Champion Zeke Thurston just keeps on rolling as he was first in his bracket—due in part to his round-winning 88-point effort on the Calgary Stampede’s Umber Bubbles. Four of the six go-rounds in the bronc riding have been won on the backs of Stampede broncs.

Texas barrel racer Jackie Ganter parlayed the rarity of identical winning times on back to back nights (13.95 seconds) into a spot in the playoffs.

Also riding for the CPRA brand in San Antonio is legendary pickup man, Gary Rempel, making yet another appearance on one of the rodeo’s biggest stages.

ADDED NOTES: Pro Rodeo Canada athletes also enjoyed some success at the recent Yuma (AZ) Silver Spur Rodeo. Congratulations to Cruz McNulty on his bareback win and to Logan Cullen/Levi Schmidt for their share of first place in the team roping. And at the Lufkin, Texas PRCA Xtreme Bull Bash, Jared Parsonage - coming off a Canadian title and his first NFR appearance - was second with an 88.5 for $7488.
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Congratulations Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Champions - among them Wildwood, Alberta bronc rider Dawson Hay who split the title with Stetson Wright.

Complete FWSSR results here
Fort Worth Stock Show & RodeoFeb 4, 202 Update - Among the qualifiers for the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Finals are three time World and Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion, Zeke Thurston; four-time defending Fort Worth Bareback Champ Kaycee Feild and NFR qualifier and World Rookie, Rocker Steiner - all of whom made outstanding rides in the semi-final rounds on Calgary Stampede bucking horses to move into tonight's Finals.

2016 Canadian Champion Jordan Hansen made the most of his Wild Card opportunity at the 126th Forth Worth Stock Show and Rodeo posting an 88-point score on Rafter G Rodeo’s Bumpstock to move through to the semi-finals in the bull riding. The Wild Card round qualifies two competitors in each event for the semis that take place tonight and Friday leading to the championship round on Saturday, February 4.

Other CPRA athletes to enjoy success in Wild Card action were saddle bronc rider Kole Ashbacher, steer wrestler JD Struxness, barrel racer Jackie Ganter and tie down roper, Tuf Cooper. Ashbacher, runner-up for the Canadian title the last two years in a row, was 85.5 to catch the second semi-final berth in his event; Struxness, coming off CFR and NFR steer wrestling appearances in 2022 topped the Wild Card field with a 3.9 to move on and Ganter, a former CFR qualifier posted a rapid 16.30 to best her group. Cooper, the 2010 Canadian titleist and five-time World Champion, was second on the night to catch a semi-final spot.

Canadian bronc rider Kolby Wanchuk capitalized on a recent stopover in Raleigh, North Carolina, winning the long go with an 84,5 on Three Hills Rodeo’s Gretchen for 3479, then topping the bonus round with an 87-point effort on Three Hills’ Harry Rocks for another $1000.
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CPRA ATHLETES MAKING NOISE in TEXAS
Dawson Hay - 89.5 on Korkow Rodeos’ Joker Poker. FWSSR photo by James PhiferJan 29, 2023 - With the venerable Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo heading into the last of the seven qualifying brackets leading up to the Wild Card round, the two semi-finals and the final next Saturday, a number of CPRA athletes are positioned to take a run at coveted Fort Worth titles.

Canadians continue to shine in the bronc riding with reigning World Champion, Zeke Thurston leading a quartet of Canucks into the semi-final rounds that includes Dawson and Logan Hay along with Layton Green. Kole Ashbacher is bound for the wild card round.

In the bareback riding, CFR qualifiers Kody Lamb, Seth Hardwick, and Caleb Bennett have moved on to the semi-finals with reigning Canadian Champion, Ty Taypotat heading for the wild card round.

Bulldoggers J. D. Struxness and Tanner Brunner will see action in the wild card round Wednesday.

Reigning Canadian Champion tie-down roper, Ty Harris and four-time titleist, Shane Hanchey have punched their tickets to the semi-finals and be joined by CFR qualifier, Haven Meged. Both Hanchey and Meged have world championships on their impressive resumes. Another former Canadian and World Champion, Tuf Cooper, will need to have a successful wild card showing if he wants to extend his stay in Fort Worth - into continued action.

Three sets of CPRA team ropers moved on to the Wild Card round including reigning Canadian Champions Dawson and Dillon Graham. They are joined by 2016 Champ, Jeremy Buhler, and his Utah partner Rhen Richard and the cross border team of Kolten Schmidt (also a former Canadian champion) and Jake Minor.

Another four-time Canadian title-holder, Lisa Lockhart, coming off a tremendous WNFR effort, will move into the semi-finals in the barrel racing while Canadian champions Jordan Hansen and Jacob Gardner will represent the Canadian maple leaf in the bull riding courtesy of their wild card qualifications.

And on the stock side, Canada is well represented by the four-legged talents that ride for the Calgary Stampede and Macza Pro Rodeo brands.

The seventh and final qualifying bracket is slated for Monday and Tuesday (Jan 30 and 31), the Wild Card takes place Wednesday and semi-final rounds are slated for Thursday and Friday ahead of the Saturday, February 4 Final.

Photo cutline: Dawson Hay of Wildwood, Alberta, won the saddle bronc riding on the opening night of the 2023 Fort Worth ProRodeo Tournament at the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo. He rode Korkow Rodeos’ horse Joker Poker for 89.5 points. FWSSR photo by James Phifer
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SOUTH OF '49 - NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW & RODEO
NWSSCelebrated Canadian steer wrestler, Curtis Cassidy, made the most of his 24th trip to the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, winning a round, splitting another and finishing third overall to pocket $9847 at the famed Denver, Colorado event. The outstanding kickoff to the 2023 season has the Donalda, Alberta bulldogger sitting sixth in the early season standings.

Richmond Champion, only recently returned to action after missing virtually all of 2022 due to injury, finished up third overall at Denver to take home $2358 while 2017 Canadian Champion saddle bronc rider, Layton Green, also picked up a third place in his event to net 3183 in earnings. Four time Canadian Champion barrel racer, Lisa Lockhart, finished up fourth overall and collected a solid $7082 for her week in Denver.

CPRA athletes have moved on to Fort Worth and the early results are positive for several. Stay tuned for details from the famed Texas rodeo stop.

... READ MORE
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NATIONAL WESTERN STOCK SHOW WELL UNDERWAY
NWSSJan 20, 2023 - Seven brackets (of eight) are complete at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado and the roster of semi-finalists to date includes a number of CPRA members.

With the Saturday semis looming, the tension builds at the first big stop of the PRCA season. Among the qualifiers with Canadian or CPRA affiliations are bareback riders Strawbs Jones and Trenton Montero, bronc riders Logan Hay and Ben Anderson, team roping duos, Jeremy Buhler-Rhen Richard and Kolton Schmidt-Jake Minor, tie down ropers Stetson Vest and Innisfail’s Ben Robinson, steer wrestler Ty Livingstone and four time Canadian champion barrel racer, Lisa Lockhart.

One bracket remains before the semi-final rounds and the Sunday finals that will feature the top 12 in each event vying for the lucrative pot of gold at the end of the Colorado rainbow.
 
 
NWSS Videos:
CFR steer wrestler Ty Livingstone (en route to qualifying for the semi-final round)
CFR-NFR qualifier & CPRA-PRCA Rookie of the Year, Bayleigh Choate - 2023 Denver NWSS Round 1 barrel racing run.
* Videos provided by Alicia Erickson)
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RODEO FAMILY RALLIES
Rodeo familyCPRA bronc riders are among those supporting a young cowboy who recently sustained a serious neck injury.

... Read full CBC story here
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Spectacular Finish to Agribition Maple Leaf Circuit Finals

Coy Robbins - 2022 Maple Leaf Circuit Bull Riding ChampionDecember 4, 2022 l Airdrie, AB
For immediate release

To say Coy Robbins is on a roll is like saying Connor McDavid is a pretty good hockey player.

The 23-year-old bull rider finished off his 2022 season in style going four for four at the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals in Regina’s Brandt Centre en route to winning both the Finals and the Maple Leaf Circuit season title. Robbins’ win in the last of the four go-rounds meant he won two rounds, split 1-2 in another and added a 2-3 split as well to earn $4383 for the Finals title. That gave him $27,178 for the Maple Leaf Circuit season and an $11,000 margin of victory over second place man, Nick Tetz.

But what is even more amazing is that Robbins is on a 13 for 13 run dating back to the CFR in Red Deer, Alta. where, after bucking off his first bull, he rode five in a row on his way to the CFR Average title. Robbins followed that up with a 4 for 4 performance at the PBR Canada Finals before heading to Regina and his huge effort there.

“This is definitely the longest run of my career,” the Camrose, Alta. athlete admitted. “I’ve kind of thought about it and whether I could have done anything differently and I can’t really put my finger on anything other than maybe a bit of a mentality shift. I put in the work all year and it helped that even though I was a bit banged up, I stayed pretty healthy over this last month of the season. I’ve really focused on maintaining my body and with the help of Acumen Performance, I’ve stayed healthier than I’ve ever been.”

Even with the hot hand he’s enjoyed of late, Robbins admitted that he’s excited about having some time off. “I’m really looking forward to putting bull riding to the side for the month of December, maybe a little vacation in Mexico or somewhere, Christmas with the family, then I’ll be ready to head south in January. There are different mountains to climb but seeing myself in the yellow chutes in Las Vegas (the NFR) in 2023 would definitely be at the top of the list.”
If Coy Robbins can pick up where he left off in 2022, it wouldn’t be a bad bet to plan on watching him nod his head next December in those famed yellow chutes.

Record setting team roping run - Tate and Kagen Schmidt, 3.3 seconds. New CPRA Record!

And there was excitement a-plenty in the team roping as well in Regina, as Barrhead, Alta. brothers, Tate and Kagen Schmidt, lit up the Brandt Centre with an arena and CPRA all-time record time of 3.3 seconds for the final round win.
“I knew we were fast,” the heeling half of the team, Kagen admitted, “but I didn’t know how fast until I saw Tate hootin’ and hollerin’; then I looked up at the clock. Even then it didn’t sink in right away that we’d broken the record.”

Kagen, the older brother at 23 years (Tate is 20) also noted that the steer they had was one they’d wanted in Red Deer and throughout the Regina event, “but we didn’t get him until last night. He’s good, fast, strong, just what you want.”

It was a perfect end to a season that had its ups and downs for the third-generation talents who went down to the last rodeo of the regular season before qualifying for the CFR in November. The record they broke in Regina (3.4 seconds, Mike Beers and Shane Schwenke) had stood since 2009 and amazingly, the old mark was equalled later in the same round when newly-crowned Canadian Champions and Maple Leaf Circuit Champions, Dawson and Dillon Graham blazed their way to a 3.4 second run, ensuring that Maple Leaf Circuit Rodeo fans would remember that round of team roping for a long time.

Canadian professional rodeo athletes competed at 35 plus events across western Canada with ten in each event making the cut for the Finals. The $12,000 in prize money up in each event will count toward the 2023 regular season standings. And the top two competitors in each event from the season standings receive berths to the NFR Open slated for next July at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

2022 Maple Leaf Circuit Finals and Year-End Champions

- Bareback riding: Cole Goodine (Finals and Year-End Champion)
- Steer wrestling: Stephen Culling (Finals and Year-end Champion)
- Saddle bronc: Ben Andersen, Finals Champion; Hunter Sawley, Year-End Champion
- Team roping: Tristen Woolsey/Trey Gallais, Finals Champions
- Dillon Graham/Dawson Graham, Year-end Champions
- Tie-down roping: Clayton Smith (Finals and Year-end Champion)
- Barrel racing: Jennifer Neudorf , Finals and Year-end Champion
- Bull riding: Coy Robbins, Finals and Year-End Champion
- Breakaway: Jenna Dallyn, Finals Champion
- Bradi Whiteside, Year-end Champion

2022 Maple Leaf Circuit Finals and Year-End Champions
2022 Maple Leaf Circuit Rodeo Champions
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2022 Maple Leaf Circuit Finals - Midway Point

Ben Andersen - Wildwood ImageryDecember 2, 2022 - The Maple Leaf Circuit Finals is well underway at Regina, Saskatchewan’s Brandt Centre as part of Canadian Western Agribition. An outstanding field of rodeo stars is enjoying success as they vie for Maple Leaf Circuit supremacy.

Among those competing through the event’s four performances--November 30 through December 3 at 7 pm each evening—are four recently-crowned Canadian Champions—bareback rider Ty Taypotat, barrel racer Taylor Manning and the team roping brother combination of Dawson and Dillon Graham.

Taypotat, a longtime former Regina resident came out on top of a down-to-the-last-horse battle at the recently concluded Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer, Alberta while Manning put together a stellar effort over the CFR’s six performances en route to the teenager’s first Canadian title.

The Graham brothers who hail from Wainwright, Alberta, in addition to a spectacular 2022 season that saw them win twelve rodeos, are also the defending Maple Leaf Circuit champions.

Professional rodeo athletes competed at 35 plus events across western Canada with ten in each event making the cut for the Finals. The $12,000 in prize money up in each event will count toward the 2023 regular season standings. And the top two competitors in each event from the season standings receive berths to the NFR Open slated for next July at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Shane Smith - Chantelle Bowman photoHighlights after the first two performances:

* Longview, Alta. barrel racer and breakaway roper, Kylie Whiteside, earned round wins in both events on night #1
* Tie-down roper, Shane Smith (Wimborne, AB) was a back to back winner over the first two performances
* Regina, Sask. native, Ty Taypotat (now from Nanton, Alta.) has earned the most money in the bareback riding at the half-way point - with a round win and a third place cheque. Carbon, Alta.’s Cole Goodine remains well in the bareback lead overall
* Eckville, Ata. saddle bronc rider, Ben Andersen, bested both draws in his event, earning two first place cheques at the half way point
* Bull rider, Coy Robbins (Camrose, Alta) who finished in the reserve position at the recently concluded Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer, Alta., and is leading the Maple Leaf Circuit standings, earned a share of second spot in Regina on night #1, then split the round last night with fellow Albertan, Wyatt Gleeson, to remain well out in front in the bull riding standings.

* Results and Aggregate link here

Watch for final results, photos and highlights at the conclusion of the event later this week at rodeocanada.com

The Maple Leaf Circuit Finals is being live streamed at FloRodeo.com

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Two Round-Wins For Kylie Whiteside on Night #1 Maple Leaf Circuit Finals
Kylie WhitesideNov 30, 2022 - Exciting start for Longview, Alberta's Kylie Whiteside. The barrel racer-breakaway roper earned wins in both of her events on night #1, Agribition - Regina, Sask.

... unofficial results here
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REGINA HOSTS THIRD MAPLE LEAF CIRCUIT FINALS

Ty Taypotat - AgribitionNovember 28, 2022 - As the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals prepares to take to the Regina’s Brandt Centre as part of Canadian Western Agribition, an outstanding field of rodeo stars is heading for Saskatchewan to vie for Maple Leaf Circuit rodeo supremacy.

Among those bringing their talents to the event’s four performances--November 30 through December 3 at 7 pm each evening—are four recently-crowned Canadian Champions—bareback rider Ty Taypotat, barrel racer Taylor Manning and the team roping brother combination of Dawson and Dillon Graham.

Taypotat, a longtime former Regina resident came out on top of a down-to-the-last-horse battle at the recently concluded Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer, Alberta while Manning put together a stellar effort over the CFR’s six performances en route to the teenager’s first Canadian title.

The Graham brothers who hail from Wainwright, Alberta, in addition to a spectacular 2022 season that saw them win twelve rodeos, are also the defending Maple Leaf Circuit champions.

Professional rodeo athletes competed at thirty-five plus events across western Canada with ten in each event making the cut for the Finals. The $12,000 in prize money up in each event will count toward the 2023 regular season standings. And the top two competitors in each event receive berths to the NFR Open slated for next July at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Watch for results, photos and highlights at the conclusion of each of the four performances at rodeocanada.com

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2022 PRO RODEO CANADA CHAMPIONS CROWNED
2022 Canadian Champions

Zeke ThurstonNovember 6, 2022 l Airdrie, AB
For immediate release

For the second time in less than 48 hours a new CFR record was established in the saddle bronc riding. But this time, the record setting performance took the rider, Zeke Thurston, to his third Canadian Championship. It was fitting that the Big Valley, Alberta cowboy matched up with an old friend to establish the new mark. That old friend was OLS Tubs Get Smart who was making his final appearance in Canada prior to his well-earned retirement following the National Finals Rodeo next month. The 93.25 score bettered the previous mark of 91.75 set Friday night by both Thurston and Kole Ashbacher (on Get Smart).

“That was pretty special for me,” the twenty-eight year-old superstar stated. “That little horse has pretty well made my career. I don’t know how much money I’ve made on him but it’s a lot. I was getting half emotional when I was saddling him. He’s been amazing forever.”

Thurston, who came into the Finals in fifth place, amassed just shy of $50,000 for a total of $80,000 for the year. The two-time World Champion was almost unstoppable in Red Deer with three go-round wins, a second, a fourth and the aggregate win as well over six performances.

The second-generation bronc rider acknowledged the importance of family in his pursuit of the rodeo dream. “I don’t actually remember wanting to be a rodeo cowboy, I just always was one,” Thurston smiled. “I watch my little boy; he’s a year and a half old, and all he wants to do is buck and ride things and I was probably the same way. I have a great family supporting me and that’s been really important.”

Scott GuenthnerAnother three-time Champion was crowned at this CFR as Provost, Alberta’s Scott Guenthner earned his third steer wrestling title in five years. Guenthner, who was named Cowboy of the Year earlier in the week, placed in four rounds and was second in the aggregate to earn $24,000 at the CFR to add to his regular season earnings of $50,000. The aggregate winner was two-time Canadian Champion Tanner Milan who finished third overall - right behind Stephen Culling.

A popular win at this CFR was Ty Taypotat’s first ever bareback riding title after several near misses in recent years. Taypotat, runner up for the title one year ago, turned in a spectacular 90.25 point performance on the Calgary Stampede’s World Champion bareback horse Xplosive Skies in Sunday’s final round.

“I saw the draw last night about midnight and I’m not gonna lie; I got pretty nervous,” Taypotat admitted. “That horse got me the last time I got on her.” The Nanton, Alberta cowboy (originally from Saskatchewan) enjoyed a consistent week with two firsts, two seconds and a third, along with the $14,000 aggregate win to total $50,000 in CFR earnings and $89,757 for the year.

“I’ve been doing this a long time,” Taypotat added. “This is my 10th Canadian Finals, so“I’m pretty darn excited to walk away with it, especially riding against the best bareback riders in the world.”

Taylor ManningIt came down to the final performance in the ladies barrel racing and it was five time CFR qualifier Taylor Manning who claimed the title. The 18-year-old, from Yellowhead County, Alberta, maintained the composure and consistency she demonstrated all week on the final day, with another solid run - made even more amazing by the fact that her horse, Bringin The Bling is only five years old.

“This morning I rode and worked on a few things with Bling but when I ran, I just tried to keep the barrels up,” Manning said. "I'm really proud of my horse," she added, "She's only five and I was able to run her all five days."

Manning placed in five of six rounds (with a first go round-win and the aggregate title) to pocket over $40,000 at the Finals. Canadian and World Rookie of the Year, and Canadian Season Leader Bayleigh Choate - who came into CFR $18,000 ahead of Manning - finished in second spot.

It was the brother combination of Dawson and Dillon Graham who prevailed in the team roping event for their first Canadian Championship. The Wainwright, Alberta cowboys had twice previously been season leaders - only to come up short at the CFR. This time around they started the week with two second place efforts and a round-win before cooling off. They were, nevertheless, able to hold off the hard-charging veteran duo of Clint Buhler and Brett McCarroll who finished $8,000 back.

The closest race of this CFR was in the bull riding where Maple Creek, Saskatchewan cowboy, Jared Parsonage, prevailed for his second consecutive Canadian title. It was anything but easy for Parsonage as Camrose, AB bull rider and rookie CFR competitor, Coy Robbins, mounted a valiant challenge for the crown by riding five of six bulls and winning the aggregate. Parsonage earned over $22,000 at the Finals for a year-end total of $81,900. The margin of victory was a slender $1300.

The only non-Canadian winner at this year’s CFR was San Angelo, Texas tie-down roper, Ty Harris. Competing at his second Finals, Harris overcame a no-time in the second round, putting together a first, a second, two thirds and a fourth en route to the victory. Harris collected $33,000 in Red Deer for $60,500 total earnings - a $9,000 advantage over runner-up, Kyle Lucas. The 2021 Champion, Riley Warren, was this year’s Aggregate winner.

Ladies breakaway roping, in only its second year as part of the Canadian Finals, saw twelve women competing, with Wardlow, Alberta’s Kendal Pierson, emerging as the winner for the second time. A former National High School Champion, Pierson had to come from behind after relinquishing her season lead in the first of three rounds. She fought back with a pair of 2.0 second runs, and when Longview, AB cowgirl, Bradi Whiteside missed her final calf, the deal was sealed for the eighteen-year-old Pierson.

Granum, Alberta roper, Wyatt Hayes, earned the men’s All Around title while Kylie Whiteside won the first-ever women’s All Around award. Blake Link (Maple Creek, SK) won the novice bareback championship while Innisfail, Alberta’s Colten Powell, earned the novice saddle bronc win. Nash Loewen, the fourteen year-old from Winfield, Alberta won the junior steer riding event.

A couple of repeat winners from the Macza Pro Rodeo highlighted this year’s CFR Top Stock awards—OLS Tubs Stevie Knicks in the bareback riding and, of course, OLS Tubs Get Smart in the bronc riding. Duane Kesler’s Chester was selected top bull of the Finals.

For complete results, go to rodeocanada.com

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Orin LarsenNovember 5, 2022

It’s called Super Saturday - two performances and a huge opportunity for rodeo athletes to win big.

2019 Canadian Champion bareback rider, Orin Larsen, has a history of doing just that and he was at it again this time around.

... read more

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Keeping It All in the Family at CFR '48
Kylie WhitesideThe talented Whiteside sisters, from Longview, Alberta, are enjoying dual qualifications in both the barrel racing and breakaway roping events at this year's Canadian Finals Rodeo.

Kylie Whiteside earns second Round-Win at CFR Saturday Matinee Performance
Bradi WhitesideRound 4 Breakaway Roping Success for Bradi Whiteside
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New CFR Record in the Saddle Bronc Riding

Zeke ThurstonNov 4, 2022

"You can put that in the record books as the greatest bronc riding there’s ever been and I’ve seen a bunch of them."

That observation was made by retired eight-time Canadian Champion Rod Hay moments after the third go-round of the Canadian Finals Rodeo wrapped up in Red Deer Friday night. The bronc riding he was referring to saw a pair of 91.75 point rides that (unofficially) eclipsed the 44 year-old CFR record of 91 points set by Mel Coleman in 1978.

... read more

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Stellar Round of Steer Wrestling at CFR Night Two
Curtis CassidyNovember 3, 2022 l Airdrie, AB

When a 4.1 second run earns only a fifth-place tie, you know you’re seeing a lightning-fast round of steer wrestling. And that’s exactly what a near capacity crowd witnessed Thursday night at the Canadian Finals in Red Deer, Alberta.

... read more
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Beau Cooper Enjoys First CFR Victory Lap
November 2, 2022 - Rookie jitters were clearly not a factor as Stettler, Alberta tie down roper Beau Cooper won the opening round at CFR ’48 with a blistering 7.7 second run. ... read more
 
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CFR '48 Round One Highlights
 
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2022 CPRA NIGHT of CHAMPIONS
2022 CPRA Night of Champions
CPRA Night of Champions
Saluting 2022 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Event Season Leaders!
CPRA Season Leaders - click to enlarge
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2022 CPRA Committee of the Year Awards Decided
CPRA Committee of the Year AwardsOct 24, 2022 - Fans, volunteers, sponsors and competitors all play a role in the success of Canadian Professional Rodeo events across Western Canada. But is the CPRA athletes, at the end of each regular season, who have the opportunity to put their votes forward in an effort to highlight select committees each year.

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Kylie Whiteside Bats 1000
Kyle WhitesideSept 20, 2022 - Longview, Alberta cowgirl, Kylie Whiteside, enjoyed a 4 for 4 weekend as the talented two eventer collected a first-place finish at Hanna and a 4th at Oldstoberfest in the barrel racing, then combined a second place breakaway roping cheque at Olds with another 4th at Hanna to complete the four-spot.

"I was pretty over the moon happy and excited about my weekend,” Whiteside commented. “And looking ahead at Edmonton (Pro Rodeo)... it's going to be a real nail-biter this weekend. I just want to try to do the best I can do and let it all play out.”

... read more
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Solid Outing for Flewelling at Coronation Pro Rodeo
Taylor FlewellingSept 12, 2022 - Breakaway roper Taylor Flewelling has moved into contention for the season leader title courtesy of her win at the Coronation Pro Rodeo over the weekend.

The Lacombe cowgirl posted a 2.85 second time for a $616 first-place cheque, and combined with a couple of solid outings at Armstrong the previous week, the talented roper has moved to within a thousand dollars of season leader and defending champion, Kendal Pierson.

Photo by Chantelle Bowman / Wildwood Imagery

* Unofficial weekend results
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Lucrative Late Season Cinch Playoffs in Puallup, Washington
Layton GreenSept 12 - Puyallup, WA

Two Canadian saddle bronc riders finished 1-2 at the ultra-lucrative Washington State Fair Pro Rodeo (Cinch Playoffs) in Puyallup on the weekend. Former Canadian Champion Layton Green capped off a tremendous showing at the pacific northwest stop as he rode Calgary Stampede’s Zoaria Hills for 87.5 points and $13,000 in the Final to take his total earnings to over $18,000 at the event. The win moved the Meeting Creek, Alberta superstar from 11th to 9th place in the world standings.

Arrowwood’s Kole Ashbacher was right behind Green with an 85-point effort in the final and a welcome $14,400 total pay cheque, that solidifies the second-generation hand’s bid for a WNFR berth. Ashbacher, who was runner-up for the Canadian title in 2021, sits in 14th place in the world standings with the season rapidly winding down.

Leighton BerryAnother big winner at the weekend event was bareback rider, Leighton Berry. The Weatherford, Texas cowboy, who is also vying for a first CFR appearance, was excited to ride Calgary Stampede’s Xplosive Skies for a 90-point score in the Final - good for $13,000 and the championship. Berry picked up $3550 earlier for the Playoff 1 performance win. (88 points on Calgary Stampede’s Cinchy Whitney) for an impressive event total of $16,550. He sits 9th in the World standings.

PRCA photos by Kent Soule

* See full Puyallup results here
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Big Moves in B.C. Over the Labour Day Weekend

Scott Guenthner - Covy Moore photoSeptember 7, 2022 l Airdrie, AB

With the 2022 Canadian professional rodeo season winding down, one of the most critical weekends of the fall took place entirely in the nation’s westernmost province. Sunny skies, big crowds and spectacular performances were the order of the day at Armstrong, Merritt and Langley.

The SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour wrapped up over Labour Day weekend with the final tour stop (IPE and Stampede) and finals in Armstrong, BC. While most of the season leaders held on to claim the overall tour titles and the champions trophy spurs, there was come-from-behind drama in the bareback and bull riding events.

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Tanner Milan - Fast time 1st perf, IPE & Stampede
Armstrong, BC- Labour Day Weekend
* SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour
 
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Triple Play for Graham Team Roping Brothers
 

Dillon & Dawson Graham - Wildwood Imagery photoAugust 30, 2022

The Graham brothers, Dawson and Dillon, have made a habit of winning. But the Wainwright duo took it to a new level this weekend, claiming top honours in all three CPRA rodeos, including the SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour stop in Lethbridge, and padding their respective bank accounts by more than $6200.

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Edmonton Rodeo Gains Pro Tour Status
Edmonton Pro Rodeo gains Tour statusAug 25 - The Edmonton Pro Rodeo will not only officially wrap up the regular 2022 Canadian Professional Rodeo season; it will also kick off the 2023 SMS Equipment Canadian Pro Tour.

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Standings Races Tighten
Morgan GrantAug 22, 2022 - Three-time High Point Champion, Morgan Grant, made a big move in the tie down roping standings with wins at both the Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo and Cranbrook Pro Rodeo.

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Hansen Makes Big Move
August 16, 2022 l Airdrie, AB - The journey began with Hansen’s win at La Crete, Alberta’s Field of Dreams Stampede where his 86.5 point ride on Outlaw Buckers’ Alberta Premium garnered the Amisk, Alberta cowboy a $1647 payday.

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Good Times For Goodine
Aug 9, 2022 l Airdrie, AB - For Cole Goodine, there are a couple of boxes left to check.

While the Carbon, Alberta bareback rider has been enjoying another solid season, he makes it clear that there are mountains yet to climb. “Yeah, winning the season leader title is a goal I’ve set for myself for a few years now,” the 32 year old hand admitted. “I’ve missed it by just a couple of dollars three different times. To be that close so many times, that’s all I want right now.”

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Aug 9 - Claresholm Breakaway Roper, Shaya Biever, posted the fastest time of the 2022 season to date with a blistering 1.84 seconds at Regina’s Pile ‘O Bones Rodeo for the win and an $864 cheque.
 
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Hay Sets New World Record
Aug 3, 2022 - Logan Hay, the third generation bronc rider from Wildwood, Alberta wrote a new chapter in rodeo’s history book when he spurred his way to a world record 95.5 points on the spectacular Calgary Stampede mare, Xplosive Skies to win the Hardgrass Bronc Match in Pollockville, Alberta. ... read more
 
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CFR Breakaway Roping Moves to 12 Competitors for CFR '48 and '49
Breakaway Roping Goes to 12 competitorsJuly 27 - The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association is pleased to announce that this year’s Canadian Finals Rodeo, CFR 48, will transition the Breakaway Roping roster from six to twelve qualifiers.

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July 23, 2022 - Celebrating Cowboys, Cowgirls & Western Heritage
National Day of the Cowboy
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The NFR Open - Powered by RAM - Colorado Springs, Colorado!
NFR Open

SEE RESULTS HERE

Congratulations to the 15 contestants representing the Maple Leaf Circuit.

Logan Bonnett

Keely Bonnett

Jason Smith

Jesse Popescul

Kyle Brown

Lisa Zachoda

Bradi Whiteside (2 events)

Bailey Hines

 
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Champions Crowned at Benalto Stampede
 
Michael Solberg - Billie Jean Duff photo
CFR bareback rider, Michael Solberg, was among the winners at the 104th Benalto Fair & Stampede. (photo by Billie-Jean Duff)

* Complete event results here
 
 
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Cowboy Christmas... A Game Changer
 

Bayleigh Choate - Covy Moore photoJuly 3, 2022 l Airdrie, AB
For immediate release

It’s called Cowboy Christmas for a reason.

The return of the Canada Day holiday run on this side of the 49th parallel was greeted with big smiles on the faces of rodeo athletes who look forward to that week every year. And for some it provided a game-changing injection of cash that impacts both CPRA and PRCA standings and even how big winners will plan the balance of their season.

No one was more successful over the July 1 run than the recent high school grad, Bayleigh Choate. The Fort Worth, Texas barrel racing sensation won both go-rounds, the championship round and the Showdown at the Ponoka Stampede for a $21,301.40 payoff, then added a second-place finish at the Williams Lake Stampede, a sixth at the Airdrie Pro Rodeo and a seventh at the Raymond Stampede for a whopping $26,267.19 weekend total that will vault her to a commanding lead atop the Canadian standings. Two of the four events—Ponoka and Williams Lake form part of the newly minted SMS Equipment Pro Tour.

Choate is a teenager with a very clear roadmap that she wants her first year in professional barrel racing to follow. “This is my rookie year and I always say if your goals don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough,” she commented after her massively successful weekend in Canada. “I started out just wanting to win the World rookie title but then I decided to go bigger and try for the top thirty (in the world standings). Then when I was doing good there, I decided to try for the top fifteen. I came up to Canada for the Calgary Stampede qualifier just about the time I had moved into the top fifteen in the world. My horses are feeling good up here so I decided to go further and try to qualify for the NFR as well as Rookie of the Year in Canada and the CFR.”

If those sound like lofty goals, consider this… her whopping weekend payday has her leading both the World and Canadian rookie standings; she sits first in Canada and has moved into the top ten in the world standings. The only real challenge Choate (pronounced Shote) might face is the eighteen rodeos she has to compete at in Canada in order to qualify for the CFR. But based on the tenaciousness of the talented horse woman, that could simply be another box she’ll check en route to a November date in Red Deer (home of the CFR).

The Texas cowgirl was quick to credit her parents as a big factor in her success. “They’re awesome. They’re up here with me and I’m really excited about that. Their support is unmatched.”

And, of course there are her equine partners as well. Her mount at Ponoka was her six-year-old son of Dash Ta Fame (Dash) out of a Flaming Talent mare. A young horse that, like his rider, is early in his career, and has found Canada very much to his liking.

“I’ve never been a person to get nervous,” Choate added. “Your horse is a mirror of you and feeds off of you. I look at every run as a business run and do my job in the moment.” But even with that laid-back philosophy, it wasn’t instant magic for the Georgia native. Earlier this season, she’d gone six months and won less than $500. “Someone told me that it just takes one rodeo to turn things around and for me that was Rodeo Austin. We were leaving Birmingham, Alabama and I’d hit a barrel. Then I got a call that a spot had opened up at Rodeo Austin. We drove all night, did really well, and sure enough that was the rodeo that turned the season around.

Like Rodeo Austin, there will undoubtedly be a place for the Ponoka Stampede in a young barrel racer’s heart after a memorable performance that she and her fans won’t soon forget.

Lonnie West - Ponoka Stampede Champion 2022 - Shellie Scott photoCadogan, Alberta bull rider, Lonnie West continued to have the hot hand as he also ran the board at Ponoka with a pair of go round wins, and a championship round win. Then he capped off his Ponoka run with a spectacular 92.75-point ride on Vold Rodeo’s 792 Hard Not to Get in the Showdown for a huge $22,008.80 week at the central Alberta rodeo jewel.

“It was one for the books, that’s for sure,” West grinned after his win. The second-generation bull rider has had to overcome a nagging injury to the shoulder on his riding arm in recent years but is feeling good and his riding is reflective of that.

“I probably should have had surgery but it was too late. I knew I’d got into Calgary so I rehabbed the shoulder really hard and got it probably as strong as it can be without the surgery” the 2021 runner-up for the Canadian title noted. “Winning third at Wainwright and Williams Lake and now winning Ponoka I’ve got a fair bit of money won, so I can pick and choose a little more. It really helps to win at these big ones because now I can rest the shoulder when it needs it and not have to go to all the little ones. This’ll make my season last a little longer. It’ll be a marathon from now to the end but my shoulder’s feeling good.”

As well, West’s confidence is at an all-time high. “Yeah, that’s directly related to my health. Over the years you build up your skill level and your confidence so when it comes to those big moments like Ponoka you don’t have to think about anything, you just react. Last night in the four round, I knew I had a big-time bucker, probably the best one in the pen, but I had no doubt I could ride him.”

The bull was also rewarded as Hard Not to get was selected as Best of the Ponoka Stampede. A bull that had been at the PBR’s in the US most of the spring, he had an outstanding trip with West aboard, doing his part in getting the 26-year-old to the winner’s circle.

As for West’s goals, well those might have changed a little in recent days. “Being runner-up for Canada last year, that really fired me up to want to win a Canadian title,” he stated. “But going into Calgary riding good and feeling really good, I’d sure like to win a Stampede championship as well. When things are coming together like they are, you just have to roll with it. Bottom line is I’m feeling good and having fun.”

Shane Hanchey & Peso - Covy Moore photoThe importance of the Ponoka Stampede and Canadian Cowboy Christmas was well-stated by four-time Canadian Champion, Shane Hanchey. The Sulphur, Louisiana tie-down roper, collected his second Ponoka title with a brilliant 7.9 second run in the Showdown to cap a $16,787.60 payday.

“I was looking at the program they gave us and I saw Larry Robinson had won here four times, Joe Lucas and Mike Johnson won it back to back, Blair Burk won it more than once, and I thought it would be cool to see my name in here more than once,” Hanchey admitted. “Now it’s happened and I’m pretty pumped.” And the part-time Canadian was quick to credit the Bird family (Logan and Maynerd from Nanton, AB) for the opportunity to ride 2021 CPRA Tie-Down Roping Horse of the Year, Peso, for the Ponoka experience.

Overall the Ponoka win definitely changes the game for the 2013 world champion. ”This also threw a wrench into my summer plans,” Hanchey acknowledged. “Now that I’ve got $17,000 won up here I’m definitely going to be looking at the CPRA schedule and see if there’s a way I can get back up here to the CFR one more time.”

For complete results and the full CPRA schedule, check out rodeocanada.com

This week the CPRA season rolls along into the Benalto Stampede July 8-10. (The Coronation Pro Rodeo, which was scheduled for July 8-9 has been postponed to Sept 8-9 due to excessive rain adversely affecting the conditions of the rodeo grounds.)

* Download a copy of this release

Stephen Culling - Ponoka Stampede - Chantelle Bowman photo
Stephen Culling, Ponoka Stampede 2022
- Chantelle Bowman photo
 
Kole Ashbacher - Airdrie Pro Rodeo - Zach Cormier photo
Kole Ashbacher, Airdrie Pro Rodeo Saddle Bronc Champion
- Zach Cormier photo
 
Orin Larsen - Williams Lake Stampede - Liz Twan photo
Orin Larsen, Williams Lake Stampede Bareback Champion
- Liz Twan photo
 
Breakaway Roper - Jessie Armstrong - Dallas Duffy photo
Jessie Armstrong - Williams Lake Stampede Ladies Breakaway Roping Champion
- Dallas Duffy photo
 
Complete weekend results here
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SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour Sponsor Ready to Go at Ponoka
SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour SponsorCPRA Pro Rodeo Tour Sponsor, SMS Equipment, is enjoying the 2022 Ponoka Stampede.

Stop by their booth for a visit!
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Williams Lake Stampede Chute Tour
Animal Athletes tour in Williams Lake, BCGreat turnout of fans/interested parties at the annual Animal Athletes chute tour at the Williams Lake Stampede in Williams Lake, BC.

Each year, C+ Stock Contractor, Roy Call, takes the group on a journey of animal health and welfare.

Happy Canada Day from one of our 'Pro Rodeos in Progress'!
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Canadian Cowboy Christmas is Underway!
The 2022 Canadian version of Cowboy Christmas includes four events: Ponoka Stampede, Williams Lake Stampede, Airdrie Pro Rodeo and the most recent addition, the Raymond Stampede.
Ponoka Stampede Williams Lake Stampede Airdrie Pro Rodeo Raymond Stampede
June 27-July 3 June 30-July 2 July 1-2 July 1-2
Contestant draw Athlete line-up Stock/athletes Entry listing
... more info ... details ... learn more ... details here
Tradition - A Big Part of Cowboy Christmas

Cowboy ChristmasCowboy Christmas. July 1. The 4th. These are all monikers for one of the most popular pro rodeo runs on either side of the 49th parallel.

The 2022 Canadian version includes four events: Ponoka Stampede, Williams Lake Stampede, Airdrie Pro Rodeo and the most recent addition, the Raymond Stampede.

The Ponoka Stampede has been a going concern for over 80 years in the central Alberta farming and ranching community by the same name. The Ponoka Sports Association was formed in 1920 with a goal of raising funds for the community. 1936 saw the advent of a 2-day Stampede, Carnival and Sports Event celebrated on the July 1st holiday. The Ponoka Stampede of today is a tradition that resonates with new and long-standing fans and continues to change and grow, while still respecting the traditions on which it was built. Over 800 volunteers donate more than 3,000 hours during the June 27-July 3 celebration, which includes one of the largest CPRA-PRCA rodeos in North America, WPCA chuckwagon races, amazing country music entertainers, a mid-way and more. As well, the Ponoka Stampede is the third stop on the SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour. For details... www.ponokastampede.com

Several hours to the west, the renowned Williams Lake Stampede (in place since 1920 - barring breaks for World War II and a hiatus for Covid) - reflects the mining, logging and ranching history of the Chilcotin region in an action-packed community celebration. Set in a natural amphitheatre-style setting just below the Williams Lake, BC town proper, the Stampede - which runs June 30-July 3 - features top pro rodeo competition, the famous (and infamous) Mountain Race, an annual parade, Bronc Buster Trade Fair, the Let’r Buck Saloon and more. The 2022 Williams Lake Stampede line-up features CPRA, PRCA and WPRA athletes vying for big purses as the Stampede is part of the SMS Equipment Canadian Pro Rodeo Tour. Add in bucking stock from C+ Rodeo and Duffy Rodeo for some great rodeo performances. www.williamslakestampede.com

Also on the July long weekend roster is the Airdrie Pro Rodeo, which has roots dating back to July 1, 1967 when the Airdrie’s Lions Club organized a gymkhana and parade in celebration of Canada’s 100th anniversary. Over 50 years later, the community is still enjoying a Canada Day celebration complete with a CPRA and PRCA approved rodeo - which attracts top North American athletes. Get in on all the action July 1 and 2 at the Airdrie Pro Rodeo grounds just west of the community. Details available at www.airdrieprorodeo.com

New to the 2022 Pro Rodeo Canada Cowboy Christmas schedule is the historic Raymond Stampede. Known as the first Stampede held in Canada (dating back to 1902) the long-standing event, held July 1-2 in the southwestern Alberta town of Raymond, includes a CPRA-PRCA pro rodeo, Wild Horse Grand Entry, Kids’ Wild Pony Race and a special performance by the Blood Tribe Dance Group and Moccasin Flats Singers. www.facebook.com/Raymond-Stampede-169069207145465/

Check out rodeocanada.com (and their social media channels,) for more information on all Canadian Professional Rodeo Association events. As another viewing option, both the Ponoka Stampede and Williams Lake Stampede will be available via live stream at FloRodeo.com

* Becoming a FloRodeo.com subscriber also provides the opportunity to watch the archived content again or at a later date.

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Davison and Schmidt Among Weekend Stand-Outs
Davison & Schmidt - Wildwood ImageryJune 20, 2022

CFR/WNFR team ropers, Kolton Schmidt (Barrhead, AB) and Cole Davison (Stephenville, TX) continued their upward climb with wins at both the Daines Ranch Rodeo in Innisfail, AB (4.6 seconds, $2453) and Stavely Pro Rodeo (Stavely, AB).

... read more
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Wishing all the Dads out there a Happy Fathers Day!
Happy Fathers Day!
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Lucas Macza Wins Gunner's Bronc Battle
Lucas Macza - Gunner's Bronc Battle ChampJune 15, 2022
Congratulations to High River, AB cowboy, Lucas Macza, who topped the field of bronc riders at the first ever Gunner's Bronc Battle in Gleichen, AB. The CFR qualifier rode Big Stone Rodeo's 26 Gone Fishing to an 87.5 point score and the first place cheque of $3169.68

* Chantelle Bowman photo

* see complete unofficial results here
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Big Weekend for Ben Andersen
Ben Andersen - Covy Moore photoJune 14, 2022 - There’s nothing like a home town win to put a smile on the face of a rodeo contestant. That smile was evident as Rocky Mountain House bronc rider, Ben Anderson spurred out an outstanding 88.5-point ride on Vold Rodeo’s The Ritz for a $1398 payday at the Rocky Pro Rodeo. The second generation cowboy went a half point higher at Marwayne, AB where he was 89 at Lea Park Pro Rodeo on Calgary Stampede’s Sergeant Whitney for another $2289.

... read more
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Rocker Steiner Sets New Record on C5 Rodeo's Virgil
Record set on C5 Rodeo's F13 Virgil - Hailey Rae photoJune, 2022 - Third generation cowboy, Rocker Steiner made history June 5!

The Weatherford, Texas Bareback Riding sensation rode 2021 Canadian Stock Contractor of the Year - C5 Rodeo's F13 Virgil to 95 points and the highest scored bareback ride in PRCA history at the Darby, Montana Riggin' Rally Xtreme Broncs event.

Eighteen year old Steiner sits 10th in the World bareback standings and leads the Resistol World Rookie Bareback race. (as of June 6)

14 year old Virgil is one of the most celebrated horses of all time.


Just a few of Virgil's accolades include:
* 2015-16 & 2018 BB Horse of the CFR
* 2 time Canadian & World Bareback of the Year (2017-18)
* 2018 RFDTV American BB Champion

Photo credit: Hailey Rae Photography
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Rough Stock Cowboys on DL List
Lucas Macza on OB Lunatic Party - Covy Moore photoApril 12, 2022

With the spring rodeo season ramping up comes a greater opportunity for athlete injury. A few CPRA athletes have been sidelined for the next while, among them, saddle bronc rider Lucas Macza.

Macza, from High River, AB, caught a stray hoof during a routine get-off from the bronc he'd just ridden to 81 points. The accident - which happened at San Angelo Rodeo - left the cowboy with a broken jaw and a several weeks of downtime. Macza, who competed at his first CFR in the open bronc riding last year, is currently 13th in the World Standings, one of six Cana
dian saddle bronc riders in the top 15.

Also out for the next few weeks is 2019 Canadian Bareback Champion, Orin Larsen. The Inglis, MB native tore the PCL and meniscus in his knee - also in San Angelo. Larsen will be rehabing in preparation for a return to action later this spring. Larsen is ranked 14th in the World standings and is looking for his eighth trip to the NFR.

Another former Bareback Champ, Richmond Champion, who won Canada in 2018, will be taking a little longer to get back on the rodeo trail.The Stevensville, Montana cowboy announced in late March that he will take the remainder of the season to heal after having surgery for a bulged disc in his neck that was compressing his spinal cord.
Champion has seven NFR appearances to his credit.
Image: Lucas Macza on Outlaw Buckers' Lunatic Party, 2021 CFR.
* Covy Moore photo
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Early Spring World Standings Update
World Standings UpdateMarch 1, 2022 - With the 2022 PRCA rodeo season now in full flight, a number of CPRA athletes find themselves in or near the top 15 in the world standings and early contenders for coveted berths at December’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

2018 and 2019 Canadian Champion bareback riders, Richmond Champion and Orin Larsen, sit 10th and 16th respectively in the standings after a weekend that included the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and Fiesta de Los Vaqueros in Tucson.

In the team roping, World and Canadian Champion heeler Jeremy Buhler and his heading partner, Rhen Richard have their eyes on a return to the WNFR after a solid performance at last year’s event. They sit 5th in the world standings while Jake Minor and Garrett Rogers, who won the aggregate title at the 2016 Canadian Finals Rodeo, are five spots back in 10th place.

Canadian bronc riders continue to occupy several slots among the world’s elite with five men in the top 15—Layton Green (3rd), Kolby Wanchuk (5th), Kole Ashbacher (9th), Logan Hay (11th) and Lucas Macza (13th)—matching the number of Canadians who qualified for the 2021 Las Vegas Finals. Two-time World and Canadian Champion Zeke Thurston is in 16th with Dawson Hay on the move at 22nd.

The number one man in the Tie Down Roping world standings is 2019 World and Reserve Canadian Champion, Haven Meged, with a couple of former Canadian titleists, Tuf Cooper and Shane Hanchey (four time Cdn Champ), sitting 3rd and 8th. CFR qualifiers, Ty Harris and Ryan Jarrett, occupy 10th and 13th.

Seven-time bull riding World Champion, Sage Kimzey, a CFR qualifier in 2019, is in his customary spot at the top of the world standings while former Canadian Champion and two-time WNFR qualifier, Jordan Hansen, continues to move up the ladder and now sits 22nd.

... for complete event results and standings, see prorodeo.com
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This Bird is No Snowbird

Logan Bird & Peso - CFR 2021 - Covy Moore photoFeb 22, 2022 - For 2017 Canadian Tie-Down Roping Champion, Logan Bird, the annual trek to Arizona is anything but a vacation.

Nanton, Alberta’s Bird family (Logan, his dad, Manerd, sister, Lakota and mom, Shawna) head for their Marana, AZ (second) home shortly after the Canadian Finals Rodeo each year and work mainly from there until roughly April 1.

And the emphasis is on work. “We brought 30 head of horses down from Canada and we have 25 that I’m riding right now” Logan explained. “We’ll train them throughout the winter and eventually haul them back north and sell them over the course of the year. Then we buy more and start over again.”

The Birds focus on the three roping events (tie-down, team roping and breakaway) in their training operation.

In addition, Logan gets to a number of Arizona rodeos and a few of the bigger PRCA events in Texas.

“I’ve only been to nine rodeos so far. I’ve got too many horses to do much more than that,” he noted. “I’ve done okay this year, but not great. I won second at Yuma and made some money at San Antonio.”

One of those nine rodeos was the qualifier for The American, that started with 235 ropers. Logan (and his 2021 Canadian Tie-Down Horse of the Year, Peso) is one of 30 to qualify for the semi-final which takes place March 1-3 in Fort Worth with six of the 30 ropers advancing to The American (the richest single day rodeo in the World) where they will be joined by the top ten in the World Standings.

The Bird family also stages a roping jackpot every two weeks at their Marana arena(s). “We have 40 to 60 ropers in our open, another 15-20 in the juniors and 15 more in what we call our colt jackpot - which is for horses that have never been to a rodeo.” As well, Logan added, there are another 50-70 breakaway ropers as part of the Series.

Though the focus is on the equine operation, it’s not all work all the time. Logan and the rest of the family enjoy a few of the benefits of Arizona living (in addition to escaping the western Canadian winter).

“We’re not far from Tucson,” Logan acknowledged, “I really love Mexican food so that’s been great. And my fast-food favourite is Chick-fil-A which I can’t get in Canada.” The family also fits in the occasional visit to Top Golf. “They’ve got food and drinks - it’s like a souped-up driving range,” Logan explained, “with targets that light up at night; it’s a lot of fun!”

As far as his plan for the spring and summer rodeo season, Logan will take in Logandale (NV) and the California rodeos in early April then work his way north.

“I want to set aside enough rodeos in my rodeo-count that if I did really well at Calgary, and had a shot at the NFR, I could come back down here and go hard. If I don’t do well at Calgary, I’ll probably stay in Canada and concentrate on the CFR.”

In the meantime, it’s business as usual in Marana, Arizona where the Albertan laughingly notes, “The weather’s better here!”

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2021 Team Roping Champions - Clay Ullery/Tyce McLeod
 
The team roping championship for 2021 was split between Alberta and Saskatchewan as team roping header Valleyview cowboy Clay Ullery teamed with Waldeck, SK heeler Tyce McLeod for the win. The pair needed a final round 6.6 second fourth place finish to clinch both the aggregate and the Canadian Championship - which they were able to deliver.
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2021 Canadian Bareback Riding Champion - Clint Laye
 
It came down to the wire in the bareback event on the final day of CFR. But it was six time CFR qualifier Clint Laye who came out on top to win his first Canadian title. Laye came into the final performance with the highest overall season earnings and sitting third in the lucrative aggregate. The veteran cowboy rode C5 Rodeo’s Black Feathers to 87 points and second spot in the round for a total of 44,751 points. Laye was able to hold off the hard-charging Ty Taypotat who was coming off back-to-back wins on Saturday but managed only an 83.75 to tie for sixth in the final round. But all that said, the margin of victory was less than 300 points between good friends Laye and Taypotat. The veteran Taypotat, who came into CFR in eleventh place, made a huge move and won the aggregate, but fell just short in his title quest.
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2021 Canadian Ladies Barrel Racing Champion - Justine Elliott
 
In the ladies barrel racing, it was Justine Elliott’s day. The Lacombe, AB cowgirl, and her two time Barrel Horse of the Year, Blondy, despite not winning a go-round, maintained the consistent approach displayed throughout CFR week with a 14.262 sec run to place fourth on the final day. That consistency gave the three time CFR qualifier the aggregate title and a 13,000 point edge in the final standings to win her first Canadian title. Elliott’s closest rival in the see-saw battle that defined the week, Lynette Brodoway, though running first on the ground, hit a barrel which ended her opportunity for a title this year.
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2021 Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion - Cody Cassidy
 

One of the most dramatic finishes the final day of CFR47 came in the steer wrestling where five time Canadian Champion Cody Cassidy virtually had to win the round and move up a couple of places in the aggregate to claim a sixth win.

“Overall, I had good steers and got off to a good start,” Cassidy commented. “Saturday afternoon I had a steer I knew would be tricky to catch. Unfortunately I let him slip through my grasp but that’s part of it. I came back with two good steers after that. You can come here (to the Finals) five or six times and just because you’re here doesn’t mean you’ll have the opportunity to win it. You still have to draw good.”

Cassidy did what he had to and the stars aligned to give the Donalda, AB bull dogger an 8,000 point margin of victory. The six titles equal the Canadian record total established by Hall of Famer Bud Butterfield a half century ago.

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Canadian Finals Rodeo 2021 - Performance #6 Highlights
 
* Read CFR Performance 6 Release
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Canadian Finals Rodeo 2021 - Performance #5 Highlights
 
* Read CFR Performance 4-5 Release
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Canadian Finals Rodeo 2021 - Performance #3 Highlights
 
* Read Performance 3 Release
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Canadian Finals Rodeo 2021 - Performance #2 Highlights
 
* Read CFR Performance 2 Release
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Canadian Finals Rodeo 2021 - Performance #1 Highlights
 
* Read Performance 1 Release
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Cowboy of the YearA great time was had by all at the annual Night of Champions CFR kick-off celebration at Cambridge Inn and Conference Center Nov 2 in Red Deer, Alberta.

Photo: Dustin Duffy receiving 2021 Douglas Lake Ranch Cowboy of the Year honors .

Congratulations to all CFR qualifiers, season leaders and award winners. And thank you to our partners, sponsors, families and fans for all your support.
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Canadian Finals Rodeo Returns

Canadian Finals Rodeo - Covy Moore photoNov 1, 2021 - CFR week is here at last! And it’s been 24 months since we last gathered for Pro Rodeo Canada’s premiere event.

As contestants and fans make their way to Red Deer, Alberta we invite you to join us for six exciting performances over five days (Nov 3-7) that will determine Canada’s 2021 Canadian Professional Rodeo Champions.

In addition to the rodeo action, take in popular returning events including nightly Cabarets, post performance buckle presentations, daily western lifestyle trade show, Ladies of Canadian Pro Rodeo Fashion Show, Contestant autograph sessions and Hot Stove Lounge, the Miss Rodeo Canada competition and more.

Re-connect with old friends, make some new ones, enjoy the spirit of our western way of life once again.

Tickets are available at https://www.ticketsalberta.com/event/cfr2021/

For attendees who are not fully vaccinated, an on-site rapid testing option is available to you. Details are available at https://cfrreddeer.ca/

See you at CFR47!

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Rodeo is Back
- 2021 Alberta CPRA Rodeo Highlights
 

... with
Travel Alberta
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Races Tighten for CFR Berths

Dawson and Dillon GrahamAug 31, 2021 - To say Dawson and Dillon Graham have been ‘on fire’ lately would be an understatement.

And the Wainwright team roping brothers found their way to the pay window once again this past weekend with a smoking 3.8 second run at Regina’s Pile O Bones Rodeo that netted each man $2334. When added to sizeable cheques from Okotoks Pro Rodeo (1-2 split, $1731) and Drayton Valley (2nd, $1212) the total helped the ropers establish a strong lead in the Canadian standings.

Several steer wrestlers also bettered their chances at a CFR berth, among them five time Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion, Cody Cassidy who won Drayton Valley and added a 6th place split at Regina for a total of $2000. Cassidy is joined by his brother Curtis and Virden, Manitoba’s Justin Miller - both of whom moved higher in the rankings as well.

At the rough stock end of the arena, Eastend, Sask bareback rider Dantan Bertsch maintained his grip on the season leader position after earning the win at Okotoks on Vold Rodeo’s True Grit with an 88 point ride ($1433) and a couple of solid placings at Regina and Drayton Valley. ($2900 for the weekend)

South of '49
Wildwood, Alberta bronc rider Dawson Hay did not qualify for the National Finals Rodeo last year, ending the season 18th overall. His 2021 goal to be in the top 5 going into the NFR came closer to being a reality at Rapid City, SD where the second generation cowboy won his first PRCA Xtreme Broncs Tour title after winning the Tour Finale and $26,678. With this win, Hay moved to 4th in the World standings. For PRCA event results and World standings, www.prorodeo.com

www.rodeocanada.com/results.htm for complete unofficial results.

Next up on Pro Rodeo Canada's event roster are two central Alberta stops: the Daines Ranch Pro Rodeo at Innisfail Sept 2-4 and the Benalto Stampede Sept 4-6.

 
Cody Cassidy Dantan Bertsch
Cody Cassidy - Drayton Valley Steer Wrestling
Champion - Dallas Duffy photo
Dantan Bertsch - Okotoks Pro Rodeo
Bareback Champion - Gralyn Boyd photo
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Macza Rodeo Loses Spilled Perfume
Spilled PerfumeAugust, 2021 - The rodeo community was sad to hear about the recent loss of CFR-NFR mare, N X81 Spilled Perfume. The 13 year old award-winning bareback horse died from complications related to colic.

Spilled Perfume's accomplishments include:
3rd place BB Horse of the NFR 2017
2nd place BB Horse of the NFR 2018
2nd place BB Horse of the NFR 2019
2 X runner up BB Horse of the CFR
Ponoka Stampede Bareback Horse of the Rodeo 2018

Spilled’s legacy will live on through her first colt - produced this spring.


Photo: Reigning Canadian Bareback Champion, Orin Larsen & Spilled Perfume - 2019 CFR

(Billie-Jean Duff photo)

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Cranbrook Rodeo Fans Enjoy Three Days of Exciting CPRA Action
 
Aug 22, 2021 - Ladies barrel racer Justine Elliott was among the winners this weekend at the Cranbrook Pro Rodeo. The Lacombe, Alberta CFR qualifier negotiated the cloverleaf pattern in 17.954 seconds to win $1574.27 remain 3rd in the Canadian standings. And it was a great weekend for Lakota Bird. The Nanton, AB cowgirl won the Breakaway Roping at Cranbrook Pro Rodeo in 2.82 seconds ($545.20).

“After I finished college rodeo I thought that my breakaway roping career was over. To be able to compete at professional rodeos in the breakaway is not something I ever thought possible and it has been so much fun! Winning Cranbrook was extra special to me because I have family ties to that rodeo,” says Bird. (Murray Hayward photo)

* Unofficial Cranbrook results here
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Uniquely Western, Art Meets West at Cowboy Kicks
Cowboy KicksCowboy Kicks is a major, annual fundraiser for the Westerner Foundation and the volunteer-led Canadian Pro Rodeo Sport Medicine Team. The inaugural Cowboy Kicks event is on September 18, 2021, at the Peavey Mart Centrium at Westerner Park in Red Deer, Alberta.

The evening features a charity auction and raffles. Through an exciting live auction, 6 large one-of-a-kind fiberglass cowboy boots, hand-painted by Albertan artists, will be partnered with one-of-a-kind experiences and auctioned off. There will also be 10 smaller boots featured in the charity auction.

Guests will be treated to a hearty, western meal and beverage while enjoying an intimate performance from our special guest - award-winning Canadian country music star Brett Kissel!

Date: September 18, 2021
Location: Peavey Mart Centrium, Westerner Park
4847A 19 Street, Red Deer, AB T4R 2N7
Attire: Wear your western gear and jeans!

Tickets: $125 (including fees and taxes)

Available through Tickets Alberta at https://www.ticketsalberta.com/event/cowboykicks/
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Lucrative Payday at Field of Dreams Stampede


Matt Richardson was 4.7 secs to win the 2021 La Crete, AB Field of Dreams Stampede Steer Wrestling title and $1999. The win will see the Olds, AB cowboy move into the top 5 in Canada - unofficial results here
- photo by Wildwood Imagery  
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Dublanko and Durazo Among Weekend Winners

Darren DublankoAug 9, 2021

* Darren Dublanko enjoys success at the Sundre Pro Rodeo with an 8.1 second winning tie-down roping run - good for $1664. The Thorsby roper is making a bid for his first CFR appearance.

* Reigning Canadian Bull Riding Champion Edgar Durazo teams up with Duane Kesler’s 601 Tickety Boo to the tune of 83 points and the title at Guy Weadick Rodeo in High River, AB over the weekend. The Mexican-born bull rider adds a second place in High River with $1880 overall. Durazo sits among the top 5 in Canada.

* Wainwright, Alberta’s team roping brothers, Dawson and Dillon Graham. move up in the Canadian standings courtesy of a speedy run at Sundre (4.6 sec, $1942 each) and a 5.5 at High River for a total of $1990.

* Saddle bronc rider Chance Barrass picks up a first at High River (82 points on Duane Kesler's Fox Hole) and a fifth at Sundre for a total of $1236 in an effort to get to his first Finals.

 

* Guy Weadick Rodeo video courtesy of C5 Rodeo
August Long Weekend Highlights

Dawson Hay - Billie Jean Duff photo copyrightAug 3, 2021

* Two time World and reigning Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion Zeke Thurston (Big Valley, AB) tops $16,000 in winnings with big performances at the Hardgrass Bronc Match, the Strathmore Stampede and the Medicine Hat Stampede.

* CFR-NFR qualifier Dawson Hay (Wildwood, AB) equals world record high score in the saddle bronc riding with his 95 point ride on The Calgary Stampede’s W16 Wild Cherry at the Hardgrass Bronc Match, Pollockville, AB

* Two time Canadian High Point Champion Morgan Grant (Didsbury, AB) enjoys a profitable weekend ($4210) with tie-down roping wins at the Bruce Stampede (8.7 secs) and the Medicine Hat Stampede (8.3 secs). And his horse Buhler carries smokin’ hot Thorsby, AB roper Erik Dublanko to the win (8.7 secs, $5668) at the Strathmore Stampede

* Three time Canadian Bareback Champion Jake Vold returns to action. The Carstairs, AB cowboy climbs on his first bareback horse in over 18 months to mark 84.5 points on Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s G7 Little Rotten to win the Medicine Hat Stampede and $2500.

Bradi Whiteside - Shellie Scott photo copyright* In the ladies barrel racing, two competitors stand out. Bradi Whiteside (Longview, AB) stops the clock at the Strathmore Stampede in 17.760 secs to earn first place and $6847. Recent Calgary Stampede Champion Bertina Olafson (Hudson Bay, SK) picks up a second place cheque at Strathmore (17.977 secs) and a third at Medicine Hat (17.211 secs) to add $8166 to her bank account. Both women move among the top five in Canada.

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First Rodeos of 2021 In the Books

Ty Taypotat - Bonnyville
Bareback rider Ty Taypotat earned top spot at Bonnyville Pro Rodeo aboard Sawyer Pro Rodeo’s Z-19 Legacy - Wildwood Imagery photo

Fans were excited to take in the action at Bonnyville Pro Rodeo, Teepee Creek Stampede & Bowden Daze.

... unofficial results here

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CFR Red Deer Update
CFR Red DeerMay 11, 2021 - We understand that everyone is eagerly waiting for information for this year’s Canadian Finals Rodeo.

At this time, we can confirm that we are actively planning and optimistic that we will have more information soon!

As always, we continue to monitor and follow all Alberta Health Services recommendations regarding COVID-19 and we will continue to take appropriate measures and make any necessary decisions.

Thank you for your patience and understanding. Stay safe and stay healthy.

Sign up to be a Rodeo Insider to stay in the know. We’ll be sending updates and timelines as soon as we have them.

 https://cfrreddeer.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe
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Guenthner and Champion Among 2021 RNCFR Winners
RNCFRCongratulations RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo Winners - including Canadian Champions Scott Guenthner (steer wrestling), Richmond Champion (bareback) and CFR qualifier Jake Finlay (saddle bronc).

The April 8-10 Finals wrapped up Saturday night at Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee, Florida. With earnings counting toward the World Standings, a number of CPRA athletes bolstered their chances at 2021 NFR berths.

Guenthner, who is vying for his fourth NFR and was mounted on Curtis Cassidy's PRCA Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year, Tyson, collected $16,805 for his efforts. Champion, who is a fixture at Canadian rodeos, took home $15,010 while Australian bronc rider, Jake Finlay, who qualified for his first CFR in 2019, earned $14,249.

Among the other Pro Rodeo Canada athletes who enjoyed success at Kissimmee were tie down ropers Kyle Lucas - who added over $11,000 to his 2021 earnings, Josh Erickson who pocketed $1,847 and bareback rider Kody Lamb who picked up $3,849.

* PRCA story here
* RNCFR results
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2021 American Rodeo Wraps Up in Arlington
Shane Hanchey & TJ - Jake Link photoMarch 7, 2021 - Four time Canadian Champion and 2013 World Champion Tie-Down Roper, Shane Hanchey, of Sulphur, LA teamed up with his Canadian superstar partner, TJ (owned by Logan Bird) to post a 7.7 in the Shoot-Out Round of The American Rodeo to take home the big cheque of $100,000.

Hanchey tipped his hat to his four legged partner in his comments as he accepted his cheque, "I just feel like I am the best roper in the world. If you don’t believe it, then you’re not it. Confidence is the main key to this game from bareback to bull riding.  I just felt on that horse, I had all the confidence in the world and if not for TJ, I wouldn’t be here.”

Two time World and reigning Canadian Champion, Zeke Thurston, rode Dakota Rodeo's Bartender for 82.5 points and the $10,000 third place cheque.

Bull doggers Scott Guenthner and Tanner Milan were 6.8 and 7.3 respectively in Round 2/the Finals and did not qualify for the final four Shoot-Out.

Shane Hanchey - The American winnerAdditional 2021 American Rodeo Champions were Tilden Hooper (Bareback Riding), Jacob Talley (Steer Wrestling), Ryder Wright (Saddle Bronc), Erich Rogers/Paden Bray (Team Roping), Hailey Kinsel (Barrel Racing ) and Colten Fritzlan (Bull Riding). The Breakaway Roping was won by Jill Tanner.

* Shane Hanchey quote, photos and event stats courtesy of The American Rodeo / Rural Media Group

See complete PRCA results here
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Major CPRA Presence at Final Day of The American

Scott Guenthner - The American RodeoMarch 7, 2021 - Canadian and CPRA rodeo athletes - both two-legged and four-legged - will be front and centre as the curtain rings down on the 2021 edition of The American Rodeo in Arlington, Texas.

Among the competitors who have a shot at titles are two time and reigning Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion Scott Guenthner. The Provost, Alberta cowboy won the Semi-Finals and the Long Round at AT&T Stadium. He was the only bulldogger to stop the clock in less than 4 seconds so far and is in a position to capture the million dollar prize. (See PRCA story here)

Guenthner is joined by two time Canadian Champion Tanner Milan. Both men will be mounted on Curtis Cassidy's 2020 World Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year - Tyson.

Other CPRA contenders are former Team Roping Champions Paul Eaves and Matt Sherwood, two time World Champion and current Canadian title holder, Zeke Thurston in the Bronc Riding, four time Canadian Champion Shane Hanchey and another former Champion, Tuf Cooper, in the Tie-Down Roping and 6 time World Champion and CFR qualifier, Sage Kimzey in the Bull Riding.


The American Rodeo On the livestock side, four of the eight semi-final Bareback horses are come from the Calgary Stampede and C5 Rodeo along with two more in the Saddle Bronc Riding.

March 7 Semi-Final Daysheet here

Semi-Final action gets underway today at 3 pm EST (1 pm MST). More information available at https://www.thecowboychannel.com or https://www.americanrodeo.com

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Wanchuk Wins San Antonio
Kolby WanchukFeb 28, 2021 - CPRA athletes enjoyed the hospitality and the payout at the recent (Feb 12-27) San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo but few left the Texas city happier than 2021 SASSR Saddle Bronc Champion Kolby Wanchuk.

The 2019 CFR qualifier and Sherwood Park, Alberta cowboy rode The Calgary Stampede's Tokyo Bubbles to 91 points for the win. Coupled with earlier bracket earnings and the Wild Card win (another 90 pt ride) Wanchuk pocketed $13,500 overall and moved to the number two spot in the World standings.

Tie-down roper Kyle Lucas also enjoyed a productive San Antonio stop. The second generation roper won the Wild Card and a bracket go-round and was second in the Finals for total earnings of $10,500. Lucas was under eight seconds on all three of those runs. And... the young talent currently sits on top of the World standings!

Kyle Lucas
Among the other CPRA athletes who took home sizeable pay cheques were bronc riders Jake Watson ($5000) and Logan Hay ($4500); bull rider Jordan Hansen ($5000) and team ropers Kolton Schmidt/Hunter Koch ($3600 each).

Click here for complete San Antonio results

See updated World Standings here
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Between the Rows Podcast with CPRA Barrel Racer Stacey Ruzicka
Click here to listen to Glacier Media's Between the Rows Podcast with 2019 Canadian Finals Rodeo Barrel Racer Stacey Ruzicka

* Complete podcast here
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A Bull Rider's Eye View of the Pandemic
Between the Rows

January, 2021

Click here to listen to Between the Rows Glacier Media Podcast with two time CPRA All Around Champion Jake Gardner.

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Message from CPRA President, Terry Cooke
Terry CookeJan 14, 2021

Happy New Year everyone!

2020 was a very challenging year for many individuals and organizations and the CPRA was no exception.

But the year actually ended on a good note. December saw an exciting Wrangler National Finals staged at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Congratulations to our CPRA competitors. Special recognition goes out as well to Canadian stock contractors for their tremendous additions to the NFR stock roster, and in particular to Northcott-Macza Rodeo whose saddle bronc, Get Smart, was voted Top Saddle Bronc Horse of the 2020 WNFR.

And now we’re into a new year - a new year with new optimism, new plans and even a new rodeo or two. As we enter 2021, I’m optimistic about our Canadian Pro Rodeo season. It’s promising that a number of rodeo committees have reached out with plans to move ahead with events as soon as they are able to do so. While the CPRA schedule will experience some modifications as we roll into the new season, and all of us may have to be flexible in our approach and expectations, we’re all hopeful that we will soon be back on the rodeo trail.

CFRTo that end, please know that since the pandemic started, CPRA Board and Staff have been taking care of Pro Rodeo Canada business so that we will be able to rodeo once conditions allow us to do so. The Association is alive and well and any rumours to the contrary are inaccurate.

Please continue to follow our Rodeo Canada website and social media channels for updates as we move into spring.

Terry Cooke
President
Canadian Professional Rodeo Association

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Rough ride to National Finals Rodeo for Canadians in pandemic season

CTV WNFR 2020 News StoryDonna Spencer - The Canadian Press Staff
Published Wednesday, December 2, 2020

EDMONTON -- Levi Simpson and his horse Stetson are about to trample the turf where the Los Angeles Dodgers hoisted the World Series trophy.

Simpson, a team roper from Ponoka, Alta., admits it's unusual for the National Finals Rodeo to be staged in a ballpark.

Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, served as Major League Baseball's “bubble” for the National League playoffs and October's World Series.

... read more

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Legendary Steer Wrestling Horse Willy Passes On

Purchased by the Cassidy family when was just three, RTR Little Willy (aka: Willy) was a registered running-bred appendix horse that enjoyed stints on the track in Alberta and Wyoming.

The gritty brown gelding that accompanied two generations of Cassidy cowboys to North American rodeos (Greg and sons Curtis and Cody all won Canadian titles on Willy, as did Lee Graves) enjoyed an outstanding career as a professional steer wrestling horse. Willy carried four men to World titles and earned well over $3 million. He was named Canadian Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year a record six times and won the AQHA-PRCA World Championship in 2008.

After helping Curtis (Cassidy) win the last two rounds at the 2010 NFR, Willy headed into a well deserved retirement on the Cassidy ranch at Donalda, Alberta.

And this year, RTR Little Willy earned a place in the Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame as one of the 2020 inductees. This equine superstar holds a special place in the Cassidy family’s hearts and in the hearts of all of us who follow pro rodeo. At 34 years of age, it seems somehow fitting that the steer wrestling legend chose CFR week to say farewell.

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Message from CPRA President, Terry Cooke

Terry CookeNov 3, 2020 - All of us would love to be heading to Red Deer right now and getting ready for CFR47. Unfortunately, that can’t happen this year. But instead, we can spend some time reflecting back on the wonderful Canadian Finals Rodeo that 2019 brought us… and look ahead to the return of professional rodeo and the CFR in 2021.

I want to offer special congratulations to the CPRA athletes, stock contractors and their four-legged partners who will soon be making their way to Arlington, Texas for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

Closer to home, it’s exciting to see CPRA Committee Reps, Shane Crouch and Lloyd Gray, orchestrating a meeting of our rodeo committees. It will be great to see everyone get together and start planning for 2021. I'm sure some good ideas will come out of this meeting. 

We have also been in regular contact with Alberta health authorities and continue to work closely with them in planning for next year’s rodeo season.

We’re all aware that we will have to make changes in how we do business from now on but l am confident that we will overcome the challenges the pandemic has brought us. I believe that our existence depends on all of us being more creative if we want to continue to prosper. The western way of life is very dear to us all and we have to stick together to keep it going.

CFRFinally, to celebrate our traditional CFR week, I invite you follow along on the Rodeo Canada website and social media channels where we’ll be looking back at CFR 2019. Feel free to share your favourite photos, videos and memories over the week ahead.

See you down the rodeo trail,
Terry Cooke

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National Finals Rodeo Bound
WNFR 2020The dust has settled on the 2020 PRCA rodeo season... and a number of CPRA athletes and former champions have earned qualifications to the Wrangler NFR.

Among those with plans to be at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX from Dec 3-12:

- 2019 Bareback Champion Orin Larsen, Inglis, MB (3rd, PRCA standings, $81,391)
- 2018 Bareback Champ Richmond Champion, Stevenville, MT (7th, $64,149)

- 2019 Saddle Bronc Champion Zeke Thurston, Big Valley, AB (9th, $50,523)

- Two time Steer Wrestling and nine time High Point Champion, Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB (5th, $50,047) who is also the recipient of the Purina AQHA Top Pro Rodeo Steer Wrestling horse, Dashin Haze (aka Tyson)


In the tie-down roping event:
- 2010 Champ, Tuf Cooper, Decatur, TX (2nd, $67,189)
- Four time (& reigning) Champion, Shane Hanchey, Sulphur, LA (10th, $52,299)
- 2013 Champion, Timber Moore, Aubrey, TX (9th, $53,167)
- Three time Champion, Tyson Durfey, Brock, TX (12th, $47,292)
- 2019 Reserve Cdn Champ Haven Maged, Miles City, MT (3rd, $66,747)

Top Steer Wrestling Horse of 2020Team roping headers:
- 2013 Cdn Champion Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, AB (11th PRCA, $51,021)
- Four time Cdn Champion Levi Simpson, Ponoka, AB (13th, $50,397)

Team roping heelers:
- 2012 Champion Paul Eaves, lonedell, MO (8th, $56,159)
- 2019 Champion Hunter Koch, Vernon, TX (14th, $51,021)

Barrel racing:
- Four time Champion Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD (13th, $40,904)

Click here for a complete list of 2020 WNFR qualifiers
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Congrats RAM National Circuit Finals Winners
Brooke WillsThe Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo took place Sept 10-13, 2020 in Greeley, Colorado where a number of CPRA athletes came away from the four day event with sizeable cheques.

Several contenders (incl. Brooke Wills, Dawson Graham, Keely Bonnett, Cole Goodine, Ty Taypotat and Jesse Popescul) earned RNCF qualifications courtesy of their success at the inaugural Maple Leaf Circuit Finals held Nov 27-30, 2019 at Canadian Western Agribition Rodeo in Regina.

Among the winners:

* Dawson Graham/Keely Bonnett - Team Roping average winners ($6564 each)

* defending Canadian Champion barrel racer & Maple Leaf Circuit Finals Champ Brooke Wills who placed in both rounds and the average ($4365 total)

* bareback riders Trenton Montero, Cole Goodine and Ty Taypotat - all of whom earned multiple cheques: Montero ($8197); Goodine ($5529); Taypotat ($1698)

* 2019 CFR steer wrestling qualifier Tanner Brunner - round 2 winner ($3201)

* tie-down ropers 2007 Cdn Champ Clint Robinson ($5238) and 3 x CFR qualifier Jesse Popescul ($4559)

* Complete RNCF results here
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Rodeo Hat Trick for Ben Robinson
Ben RobinsonAug 31, 2020 - Huge weekend for 3rd generation tie-down roper, Ben Robinson (Innisfail, AB) who earned over $8000 courtesy of wins at Range Days Rodeo (Rapid City, SD), Golden Spike Rodeo (Tremonton, UT) and Alamosa Round Up (Alamosa, CO). Congratulations Ben!

* PRCA story here
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CPRA Athletes Make the Miles to Earn 2020 WNFR Spots
Cassidy among WNFR contendersAugust 25, 2020 - Canadian Champion Steer Wrestler Curtis Cassidy is among a group of CPRA athletes who have been steadily climbing in the standings south of the 49th in an effort to qualify for the 2020 WNFR.

While the annual World Finals may look a little different this year, and may be located in a venue other than its usual Nevada home, contestants are as focused as always on gaining a top 15 spot.

Among those joining Cassidy as likely contenders are Shane Hanchey, Richmond Champion, Orin Larsen, Levi Simpson, Kolton Schmidt, Paul Eaves, Zeke Thurston and Sage Kimzey.


Sidenote: Dawson Hay is going to try to return to competition after an earlier injury. (See details in PRCA story by Tracy Renck)

... Complete standings are posted at ProRodeo.com
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Corb Lund's All Time Favourite Rodeo Songs

It’s a tough year for rodeo, and it's a tough year for live music, too. Meanwhile, there aren’t many rodeo songs on the radio these days, so I thought I’d try to cheer everyone up a little by sharing some of my favourites with you. Some of them I first heard in my childhood, others are more recent. I grew up around pro rodeo because my dad, DC, was a steer wrestler and my mom, Patty, was a barrel racer in her younger days. Both my grandfathers competed, and one of them, Clark Lund, was a judge at Calgary for a few decades after he won the All Round Championship in 1939. I rode steers as a kid and dabbled at bulldogging in my teens until I discovered the guitar. Western music shaped a lot of my childhood memories and remains a big part of my life today. So here, in no particular order, are some of my all-time favourite rodeo songs. Make sure you click the link at the bottom of the article to listen along.

“Rodeo Road” by Ian Tyson
Ian has always been a hero of mine and has become a good friend over the years, which is even better. As everyone from our neck of the woods already knows, he’s the king of cowboy music. “Rodeo Road” is one of his lesser known songs, but it’s a great one. It is the melancholy-but-hopeful tale of a bronc rider finally hanging up the spurs and tossing all his gear into the river to prove to his lady that he’s finally gonna stick around. If you’re a Tyson fan, scare this one up.

“I Can Still Make Cheyenne” by George Strait
Everybody knows this one. This number from King George, along with a couple of Garth’s, are the last songs I can remember on country radio with any real western themes, which is a sad fact. But this one is a beauty and has almost a polar opposite message than “Rodeo Road” does. It’s actually pretty dark, if you dig into it. He says something about how ‘this rodeo’s been hard on us all’, implying there are kids involved. He calls home, hears that she doesn’t want him back, and with in about 45 seconds has decided to hell with it, on to the next one. It’s a great song that deserves to be as famous as it is.

“Much Too Young (To Feel This Damned Old)” by Garth Brooks
Speaking of Garth, I know a number of bronc riders that consider “Much Too Young” pretty much a hymn. And I recently discovered that Garth wrote this one himself. Good on ya, bud. This is one of my favourite all time songs of any genre. I love the lyric, the melody, and years later, I’m still trying to figure out the great fingerpicked intro. This is also the song where Garth famously name checks Chris LeDoux, helping Chris to finally get a major label record deal. Classic rodeo song.

“Bareback Jack” by Chris LeDoux
Which brings us to Chris. I never had the good fortune to meet him, but I’ve become great friends with some of his family. In fact, his son, Ned LeDoux, and I wrote a song together called “Dance With Your Spurs On”. It’s about his dad and my uncle, Tommy Ivins, wringing every last drop out of life and we won the Songwriter of the Year buckle for it last year at the Rocky Mountain Country Music Association Awards. Chris’ “Bareback Jack” is a classic and is made a hundred times more legitimate having been written by an NFR champ. I’m aware of three different versions of this, and the one from the Songs of Rodeo Life album is my pick. The version before is old school bluegrass/folk style, and the later version has a more modern country sound. Both are great, but this one hits the 1970s sweet spot for me in terms of how they recorded it.

“Bandy The Rodeo Clown” by Moe Bandy
This one is a big childhood memory for me. I remember hearing it on the 8-track alongside “Delta Dawn” and “Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys” in Dad’s pickup on the way to watch him bulldog in Coronation or Ponoka or Medicine Hat. Still love it to this day, and I want to dedicate it to Ash Cooper, Flint Rasmussen, and Kelly Lacoste.

“Everything That Glitters (Is Not Gold)” by Dan Seals
Here’s a real rodeo tearjerker, written by Dan Seals and Bob McDill. This one hits you right in the gut. I mean, Old Red stumbles, she misses Little Casey’s birthday, and there are certain things a man just doesn’t know. Ouch. Come on, guys, take it easy on us. What a brilliant piece of work, with a great ‘80s country sound.

“The Cowboy In The Continental Suit” by Marty Robbins
My all-time number one record as a kid, and still to this day, is Marty Robbins’ Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs. That album doesn’t have any rodeo songs on it, per se, but this is a beauty from one of his later western albums. I love the part where he rolls a smoke, blows a smoke ring, then climbs on the buckskin, old school. I know a couple guys who could pull this off. One of them is from Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan.

“Dawson Le Gate” by Red Steagall
I’ve had the good fortune to meet Mr. Steagall a couple of times while in Nevada and in Texas, and he’s a great man. A legend in Texas, and in western music generally. I love how this song has an Alberta connection; it kind of picks up where Tyson’s “Rodeo Road” leaves off. I’ve found in my travels that the cowboy lifestyle has a common thread all the way down the Rockies as far as the Rio Grande. I’ve made a bunch of great friends all the way along the route.

“Someday Soon” by Ian and Sylvia
This one is a Canadian classic that we all know and love. Sometimes I forget that it’s a rodeo story because it’s such a beautifully written folk song, but it sure enough is, and is as good as they come. I remember hearing this one as a kid, blaring through those worn out metal speakers mounted on poles as I watched the slack on a Saturday morning at some dusty outdoor arena in small town Alberta.

I can’t wait to get back to playing shows and watching rodeo. I hope everyone stays safe, sane and healthy, and I look forward to seeing you down the trail someplace at a PRCA show or a saloon or a rodeo dance when the smoke clears and the dust settles.

You can listen to these songs and a few other honourable mentions here:

Corb Lund’s new album Agricultural Tragic is available now.

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Larsen and Wanchuk Enjoy Success South of the Border
Orin Larsen and Kolby WanchukJune 15, 2020 - CPRA athletes made the most of appearances at recent PRCA rodeos with reigning Canadian Bareback Champion, Orin Larsen, earning the win at Coleman, TX (88.5 points aboard United Pro Rodeo’s Slick). The Inglis, MB cowboy also earned a share of the win at the Pony Express Rodeo in Eagle Mountain, UT to garner $3,100 between the two events.

2019 CFR qualifier, Kolby Wanchuk, found his way to the top of the leaderboard at Coleman as well. The Sherwood Park, AB bronc rider marked 89 points on Dakota Rodeo's Richie's High for $3,091.

* Several other CPRA competitors are also back on the rodeo trail south of the 49th. Check recent results and standings at www.prorodeo.com
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Connecting with Reigning Canadian Bareback Champion - Orin Larsen
 
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Message from CPRA President, Terry Cooke

Terry CookeMay 17, 2020

CPRA Members

With the problems that Covid 19 is causing for not only our sport, but for the world in general, l want to touch on the current state of our association.

As you all know, our events have been cancelling and more are dropping off each week.

We are down to about 17 left as of today and those events are getting to the point of having to make a decision as to whether they can go. I am still hopeful we can have a few rodeos and at least salvage part of our season, but there is no guarantee that it will happen.

I have talked with some committees and they want to rodeo as much as you do and are hanging on and rescheduling to try their best to have an event. These committees are at the mercy of the provincial health authorities and can’t even move forward with plans as things are.

I'm not sure as to when we will decide on whether it would be feasible to still plan a CFR but the the decision will have to be made soon. If we end up with only a handful of events later in the season we will have to count them for the 2021 season.

Our association is in good shape financially and we will be in a solid position even if we loose the season.

The board of directors and our management have taken the necessary steps to ensure that our association will survive this pandemic that is financially crippling many organizations and businesses throughout the world. 

This virus is always going to be with us now and the way we do things is going to change in many ways. We will have to evolve a bit but l know we will carry on and find a way to prosper. It will become the new norm and we will roll on.

I remember when all this security at events and airports first started We thought it was crazy but now we just accept it and plan for it. This is just an example of how things change in our world and in a little while we will just move on as it becomes normal.

Let's just all be patient and hope all of this gets fixed soon and we can start doing what we love to do.

Please don’t hesitate to call your director or the office for updates any time. I am always available if you want to talk.

Thanks,

Terry Cooke
President
Canadian Professional Rodeo Association

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Apr 27 - Checking in with Scott Guenthner on ranching, 2020 rodeo season, family and Covid-19
 
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CPRA Marks Tenth Year at Airdrie, AB Location
Ribbon cutting ceremony with Dale Dale Leschiutta and Jim Pippolo CPRA staff 2010
Celebration cake Entrance to CPRA property
Apr 15, 2020 marks the 10th year the CPRA has enjoyed its headquarters in its current location near Airdrie, AB. Prior to purchasing the property and office just northeast of Airdrie, the Association made its home in leased space at 2116 27 Ave NE, Calgary, Alberta in the Stockman's Centre.
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Catching up with CPRA Ladies Barrel Racer Steffanie Mather-Moore

Stephanie Mather-MooreHey guys,

Let me start by introducing myself, I am Steffanie Mather-Moore, 2014 Canadian Champion Barrel Racer.

Some of you may know me better as Clayton (Moore's) wife, the one packing all the kids around lol. I haven’t had my name down at a rodeo in almost two years, and I have been chomping at the bit to get back at it.

We spend our winters ranching, putting on jackpots, and riding horses. As busy as life is, especially with three little kids, I made sure to make time to keep my rodeo horse legged up as well as getting myself back into top shape. Getting into shape was the easy part, having three kids four and under, as well as helping to look after about 300 head of animals, cardio is just a daily norm. (According to my fit bit, most days I put on between 20,000-25,000 steps).

I had my goals set for this summer, was already planning on how I wanted to enter the rodeos, and was excited to spend the season on the road with my family. My mare and I had been to two jackpots, she worked great, and I had a ton of confidence to take into the spring rodeos.

Then, what seemed like overnight, the world as we know it came to an abrupt halt!! At first, it seemed like things would be on lockdown for a week or two and then hopefully life would carry on as normal. We know now, that is definitely not the case and I won’t even lie about it, last week I threw my sucker in the dirt! I’ve spent the last two years on the sidelines, worked by butt off this winter, and wanted nothing more than to have a fun and successful rodeo season. I have since pulled my head out of the sand and quit pouting to take a look at what is really going on in the world.

Rodeo committees are having to cancel or postpone events they have been working on all year long on, sponsors are unsure of what the future of our economy looks like and the impact this will have on their companies and businesses, fellow rodeo competitors may be losing jobs or worried about a sick loved one. These are uncertain and, let be honest, quite scary times.

As disappointed as I know we all are about the postponement of our rodeo season, I think it’s important to look out for one another as a rodeo family and realize the impact this is having on the whole world. Self-isolating is certainly not how I had planned to spend most of March and April, but if we all do our part, hopefully things will slowly start to get back to normal. Steffanie

Until then, I’ll continue to get horses rode, spend time with my family, maybe tackle a few projects I’d been waiting to find the time for, and since we are starting to calve and the weather up here in the north is still wintery, getting too far from the Ranch wasn’t going to happen anyways.

So until next time, stay safe, stay home, and hope to see you all on the rodeo trail at some point!

Steffanie Mather-Moore

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2020 blog from CPRA Bronc Rider Jake Burwash
March 26 - Rodeo cowboys and cowgirls we are pretty good planners, (well some of us) but all are better at making fast decisions. In a sport where reaction is the only thing happening faster than the clock or the animal we are riding on, no one could have predicted the effect COVID-19 was about to have… unless you are the writers for the Simpsons, because apparently they can predict everything. ... jb
Jake BurwashHi there everyone

I am Jake Burwash - CPRA/PRCA Saddle Bronc Rider from Nanton, Alberta. Currently I am serving day 6 of jail time (I mean quarantine) and I thought that I would share how we found out that the start of our rodeo season was going to be postponed.

At the start of the winter run, I had been traveling with Dawson Dahm, Chance Barrass and Preston Ogle in Dawson’s rig. But throughout the winter I had to bum rides and pack all my stuff with me. It wasn’t until my mom drove down my truck to watch my brother and sister in-law compete at the NRCHA World Show in Fort Worth, Texas in February that my truck made it down south. Meanwhile I was searching for a used Capri Camper to put on my truck and managed to find one on Facebook. The thing needs some work but it’ll be perfect for comfortable travel. Capri campers are meant to be bolted to the floor of the truck box. Unfortunately I had zero tools to do that so a couple of ratchet straps were going to have to do til I made it an hour north to Chet Johnson’s place in Stephenville, TX where Kolby Wanchuck (power engineer) and Chet (self proclaimed master craftsmen) could help get this camper half a** put together and securely bolted down. About this time is when talks of the COVID-19 really started to hit the news. None of us really thought anything of it to begin with as we carried on with normal weekday activities, golfing, workouts and cookouts.

BurwashEverything changed when we got a call on the back nine of a crappy, cheap little 9 hole golf course. They had cancelled Austin, TX ; Montgomery, AL; Mercedes TX and Winston Salem, NC rodeos that add $8,000-$47,000. The guys and I started entering smaller Texas rodeos to fill the gaps and try to get at least a few rodeos in before we headed north toward home or west to Redmond, OR at the end of March… until the press release from the PRCA notified us that all rodeos for the next month had been cancelled or postponed and the winter run officially came to a close.

While we adjust to the new normal, I hope everyone stays safe and positive. Practice social distancing and protect others by protecting yourselves. We will see you all in an arena near you - hopefully this summer!

Jake Burwash
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An Recent Visit with Team Roper Clay Ullery
 
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The American
Congratulations 2020 American Rodeo winners
incl. stock contractors C5 Rodeo (Kaycee Feild won the Bareback riding with 93 pts on two-time C5 World Horse of the Year, F13 Virgil) and Northcott-Macza (Wyatt Casper topped NM's reigning Canadian and World Champion Horse of the Year 242 Get Smart for 91.25 pts and the Saddle Bronc win) ... details here
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Celebrating a few of the Many Amazing Women in our sport on International Women's Day (March 8)
International Women's Day
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Jared Parsonage Wins 2020 Besplug Invitational
Jared ParsonageFeb 29 - Fans packed the Claresholm Agriplex Saturday night to cheer on a field of top bull riders at the Chad Besplug Invitational Bull Riding.

Maple Creek, Sask's Jared Parsonage rode Outlaw Buckers’ A32 OLS Tubs Anika’s Pet to 85.5 points for the long-go win. While the short-go bulls proved to be a big challenge for the finalists, including Parsonage who climbed on Wild Hoggs' 594 Tractorland's Arizona Dreamin, the CFR bull rider (and CPRA bull riding director) added $3981.60 to his already significant 2020 earnings, moving him (unofficially) to second in Canada.

... see complete results here
 
* Video provided by Feature Productions and Alpha Bull Inc.
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They’re Back… and They’re Hungry
Layton Green - CFR 2018Feb 21, 2020 - Canadian spring rodeo will see a couple of familiar names back in competition. And while rodeo fans are understandably excited to see two of our best back on the trail, that sentiment might not be shared by the guys who have to beat them week in and week out.

2017 Canadian saddle bronc champion Layton Green broke both bones (tibia and fibula) in his right leg last spring when his saddle horse stumbled and fell on him while riding the hills at a friend’s ranch.

“Nothing can make a guy hungrier and wanting to win more than sitting out a year,” grinned the Meeting Creek, AB cowboy. “I had to lie around inside for the first month but I got back outside as soon as I could.”

Green climbed on a saddle horse at home not long after the injury then progressed to riding colts and moving cattle at (former Canadian bull riding champ), Tyler Thomson’s, ranch in Black Diamond, AB as soon as he could handle the pressure on his leg. “I tried to take advantage of the time off by doing some riding and hunting - things I usually don’t have much time for.”

While Green’s leg is feeling pretty good, he’ll be looking at another small surgery when the time is right, to remove a couple of the screws used to repair his leg. The second generation bronc rider, along with travelling partners Coburn Bradshaw and Jesse Wright, is already enjoying success at the spring PRCA rodeos. Green is headed to the Finals this weekend at the San Antonio (Texas) Stock Show and Rodeo as well as at Fiesta de Los Vaqueros in Tucson, AZ.

Jake Vold - CFR 2018Three time Canadian bareback champion Jake Vold is also making the most of his return to competition. The Ponoka, AB athlete - who just relocated to Cremona, AB where he and his wife, Sara, bought a place - cracked out at San Antone after a seven month hiatus from the sport. Vold injured his shoulder at the 2018 WNFR, but returned to the Canadian rodeo scene successfully last spring. It was a second injury (incurred at the Calgary Stampede), this time a hyper-extended knee and bone bruise on his tibia, that put the fan favourite back on the DL.

“I needed a few months off,” the 32 year old commented. “I started feeling good in the fall (of last year) but by October, there was nothing left to go to.”

While Vold kept busy during the winter with the move and home renos, he’s excited to be back in action. “I still crave the competition and I’m glad to be back. I missed the camaraderie with the guys and rodeo is still my main source of income.”

Vold and Green join a number of CPRA athletes enjoying success on the ‘South of ’49’ spring rodeo run. And both rough stock riders hope to qualify for this year’s CFR. The first full CPRA rodeo of the 2020 season is the Broncs & Honky Tonks Spring Indoor Rodeo in Medicine Hat, AB April 17-19 which is part of the Maple Leaf Circuit. And it’s a good bet both Layton Green and Jake Vold will be there.

Yes, they’re back and it’s going to be a lot of fun watching two former champs do what they do so well.

Check out www.rodeocanada.com/rodeo_schedule.htm for a full list of 2020 CPRA events.

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Standout Stevie Knicks
Stevie KnicksNorthcott-Macza's bareback superstar, 118 Stevie Knicks outdid herself recently when she and 3 time world champion Tim O'Connell tied the bareback riding world record.

The Iowa cowboy rode the 2019 Canadian Bareback Horse of the Year to an outstanding 94 points to win the San Angelo Cinch Chute-Out Rodeo, Feb. 15.

O’Connell shares the world record with Wes Stevenson on Kesler Rodeo's Cover Girl (Dallas, TX, 2002); Will Lowe and Kesler Rodeo’s Sky Reach (Omaha. NE, 2003; Ryan Gray on Carr Pro Rodeo’s Grass Dancer (Eagle, CO, 2009) and Tilden Hooper aboard Classic Pro Rodeo’s Big Tex (Silver City, NM, 2010).

Well done Tim O'Connell, Stevie Knicks and Northcott-Macza!

* Records information courtesy of the PRCA
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Rising Star Tanner Eno
Tanner EnoTalking to CPRA rookie bullrider feels like you’re conversing with a ten-year veteran. The young man has a goals, he has a plan and he isn’t likely to waver in reaching those goals and executing that plan.

“I wanted to be ready when I turned pro so I decided I wanted to win the FCA, the LRA and WRA before I started getting on bulls at this level,” he noted.

Well, check, check and check. The second generation Coronation talent won the FCA and the LRA in 2018, then added the WRA in 2019. And he capped off his semi-pro successes by being named the first-ever CPRA Novice Bull Riding Champion.

“That was another notch in the belt, that’s for sure,” the likeable Red Deer College Carpentry student acknowledged. And all the success has helped him put together a large helping of the ingredient he considers most critical to success in the professional ranks. That ingredient is confidence.

“I think Bull Riding is 80 per cent confidence and my family has been huge getting me to this point,” Eno adds. “Because my dad rode bulls and my family has been involved in rodeo I feel really comfortable in this environment. I remember being eight years old and J.B. Mauney was standing right there next to me. I’ve been in cowboys dressing rooms all my life. I guess I feel like I belong. And one thing my family has taught me is that you can learn from everybody, not copy but learn. I think all of that is going to help me get where I want to go quicker.”

Having already tasted a little success at the Rebel Energy Services event in Red Deer, Tanner Eno is excited to be taking that confidence and that plan to Claresholm on February 29 for the Chad Besplug Invitational.

You get a chance, you want to keep an eye on this young man. Better yet, have a chat with him. But don’t expect him to talk like a rookie.
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A Note From CPRA General Manager, Jeff Robson
Jeff RobsonFeb 6, 2020 - As we get closer to the ‘right side’ of winter I hope that this note finds you well.  We are all getting ready for the upcoming season of rodeos.

As most of you have heard, the CPRA is offering Breakaway Roping as an optional event for our Committees to host.  The Board believes that this event option is a good addition for our sport.  Breakaway Roping will provide a fast-paced, new event to our rosters that we feel will also be well received by you, our fans.

The host of our marquee event has been in the news lately, which leads you and our members to have some questions about CFR 47.  Since late December we have been working on a budget with Westerner Park and the Red Deer Chamber of Commerce to help reorganize the profitability of CFR. 

As such, we believe that there can be a sustainable model that will be used for years to come.  Several changes will be announced later this month about CFR.  In the interim - what I can say is the Planning Group is committed to providing a first-class fan experience along with keeping the payout for the athletes intact.

This month, the CPRA Board of Directors and Staff are also busy planning our members Annual General Meeting.  (Feb. 29, 2020). 

We are excited for the 2020 season and look forward to seeing you down the rodeo trail.
 
Jeff Robson
General Manager, CPRA
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CPRA Cowboys Win Big at Fort Worth
FWSSRFeb 9, 2020 - Pro Rodeo Canada athletes, Dawson Hay and Clay Ullery, made the most of their opportunities at the 2020 Forth Worth Stock Show & Rodeo.

Hay, the second generation saddle bronc rider from Wildwood, AB, drew into the final and turned in a record-tying 91 point ride on Calgary Stampede's Zena Warrior to claim the $20,000 first place cheque and a total of $23,080 overall.

Two Hills, AB team roping header, Clay Ullery teamed up with Jake Edwards (Ocala, FL) for the Fort Worth win for $22,200. The Fort Worth results catapulted both Ullery and Hay into the top ten in the World Standings in their respective events.

Among the other CPRA competitors who enjoyed Finals success include:
* Steer wrestlers Ty Erickson and Matt Reeves
* Tie-down roping former Canadian (and World) Champions Tuf Cooper and Tyson Durfey

The Calgary Stampede stock was prominent at their first FWSSR appearance as the Bareback Riding was also won on a Calgary horse with Tilden Hooper setting an arena record of 91.5 on CS Agent Lynx.

* Complete Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo results here
 


 
 
 
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