Edmonton, AB (Nov 5, 2014) –Tanner Milan won the first round at CFR41 – repeating the start he enjoyed in 2012, the year he won the Canadian Steer Wrestling title. An omen? “Sure hope so,” Milan grinned after his run.

But this year, the Cochrane athlete, one of three steer wrestling brothers, faced an added challenge. Minutes before his run, he was kicked in both knees by a horse tied in the alleyway near the bull dogging chute.

“I tried to walk if off… and fortunately, adrenalin kicked in and I had a good run. I was feeling confident coming in and the steer was known to be good, a bit slower than the rest. I got a good start. I’m glad to have this one done,” Milan added as he headed off to Sport Medicine to get some ice for his knees.

Milan’s $11,809 round one cheque, added to his regular season earnings, moved the 29 year old to the overall bull dogging lead with just over $34,000 won.

Another athlete who overcame adversity to enjoy success at CFR41’s first night was defending and two-time bull riding champion, Chad Besplug. The Claresholm, Alberta bull rider paired up with 2013 Bull of the Year, Outlaw Bucker’s Red Stag, for 87 points and the second place cheque of $8,781. Besplug was out much of the season with a groin injury. In late August, just after his return to competition, the PBR / Pro Rodeo athlete broke a bone in his lower right leg.

“This is the first bull I’ve been on since mid August,” he explained. “It wasn’t until two jumps into the ride tonight that I was sure I’d be okay.” Besplug is sporting a custom made cast that fits inside his riding boot. “Getting back to competition this soon would have been really difficult without the (Canadian Pro Rodeo) Sport Medicine Team,” Besplug added.

Besplug’s effort was second only to that of season leader and go-round winner Dakota Buttar. The Kindersley, Saskatchewan youngster, who turns 21 tomorrow, was 88.5 points on Franklin Rodeo’s Buffalo Chips.

Other opening round winners were tie down roping season leader Matt Shiozawa from Chubbuck, Idaho. The second time CFR qualifier posted a 7.7 second run to extend his lead atop the roping standings to almost $10,000 over 2007 Champion Clint Robinson whose 8.2 second run was good for a second place finish in the round and moved him to second overall.

Regina, Saskatchewan’s Ty Taypotat rode Outlaw Bucker’s Sexy Bucks to 84.75 points and the bareback riding win. Cort Scheer of Elsmere, Nebraska scored 85.5 on Calgary Stampede’s Tiger Warrior to top the saddle bronc riding. Four time and defending Ladies Barrel Racing Champion, Lisa Lockhart and her buckskin gelding, An Oakie With Cash (aka Louie), navigated the pattern in 14.764 seconds to pick up the first night cheque. Two teams shared top money in the team roping event. Season leaders Levi Simpson and Ryon Tittel joined Kolton Schmidt (defending champion) and Rocky Dallyn, with 5.0 second runs – good for $5,147 / team.

In the novice events, Buck Moen topped the three novice bareback contenders with a 73 point ride. Season leader Keenan Reinhardt won the novice saddle bronc with 72 and steer riders Owen Berreth and Norman King shared the win with 75 points each.

Complete CFR Wednesday Evening Results:

BAREBACK 1. Ty Taypotat, Regina, SK, 84.75 points on Outlaw Buckers' 235 Dallas Steam's Sexy Bucks, $11,809.44; 2. Logan Hodson Telkwa, BC, 84.25, $8,781.38; 3/4. Ky Marshall, Bowden, AB, 83.25, $4,239.29 & Colin Adams, Deloraine, MB, 83.25, $4,239.29; 5/5. Dusty LaValley, Bezanson, AB, 82.25, $605.61 & JR Vezain, Cowley, WY, 82.25, $605.61
Total Season Earnings 1. Jake Vold, $40,002.84; 2. Ky Marshall, $28,756.67; 3. Ty Taypotat, $26,785.84; 4. Logan Hodson, $26,405.08; 5. Kyle Bowers, $22,690.42

STEER WRESTLING  1. Tanner Milan, Cochrane, AB, 3.4, $11,809.44; 2. Justin Miller, Neepawa, MB, 3.6, $8,781.38; 3. Dallas Frank, Stony Plain, AB, 3.9, $5,753.32; 4/5. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB, 4.0, $1,968.24 & Trygve Pugh, Ponoka, AB, 4.0, $1,968.24
Total Season Earnings 1. Tanner Milan, $34,035.47; 2. Curtis Cassidy, $30,452.18; 3. Justin Miller, $27,200.82; 4. Dru Melvin, $26,610.95; 5. Cody Cassidy, $25,972.58

NOVICE SADDLE BRONC 1. Keenan Reinhardt, Calgary, AB, 72.00, $1,600.00; 2. Lane Cust, Ardmore, AB, 70.00, $1,066.66
Total Season Earnings 1. Keenan Reinhardt, $8,385.15; 2. Lane Cust, $7,095.60; 3. Tyler Kampjes, $6,685.63

NOVICE BAREBACK 1. Buck Moen, Elrose, SK, 73.00, $1,600.00; 2. Dantan Bertsch, Eastend, SK, 69.50, $1,066.66
Total Season Earnings 1. Dantan Bertsch, $8,514.03; 2. Buck Moen, $7,182.59; 3. Spur Lacasse, $6,085.54

Boys STEER RIDING 1/2. Owen Berreth, Airdrie, AB, 75.00, $600.01 & Norman King, Wainwright, AB, 75.00, $600.01
Total Season Earnings 1. Coy Robbins, $4,840.31; 2. Nick Tetz, $4,568.22

TEAM ROPING 1/2. Levi Simpson, Ponoka, AB, $5,147.70 & Ryon Tittel, Pueblo, CO, $5,147.70, 5.0; 1/2. Ronald McFadden, Vulcan, AB, $5,147.70 & Tyrel Flewelling, Lacombe, AB, $5,147.70, 5.0; 3. Justin McCarroll, Camrose, AB, $2,876.65 & Brett McCarroll, Camrose, AB, $2,876.65, 5.1; 4. Murdoch Keith, Clyde AB, $1,362.63 & Riley Warren, Stettler, AB, $1,362.63, 6.0; 5. Kolton Schmidt, Barrhead, AB, $605.61 & Rocky Dallyn, Nanton, AB, $605.61, 9.8
Total Season Earnings 1. Levi Simpson, $32,921.14 & Ryon Tittel, $32,921.10; 2. Kolton Schmidt, $23,728.61 & Rocky Dallyn, $25,165.15; 3. Rhen Richard, $18,318.91 & Jeremy Buhler, $24,767.46; 4. Justin McCarroll, $20,261.69 & Brett McCarroll, $20,261.71; 5. Travis Gallais, $19,041.84 & Kevin Schreiner, $18,669.59

SADDLE BRONC 1. Cort Scheer, Elsmere, NE, 85.50 points on Calgary Stampede's T65 Tiger Warrior, $11,809.44; 2. Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB, 83.50, $8,781.38; 3. Tyler Corrington, Hastings, MN, 81.00, $5,753.32; 4. Chet Johnson, Douglas, WY, 80.50, $2,725.26; 5. Luke Butterfield, Ponoka, AB, 80.00, $1,211.22
Total Season Earnings 1. Rylan Geiger, $44,645.48; 2. Tyler Corrington, $36,274.96; 3. Cort Scheer, $27,254.92; 4. Sam Kelts, $26,074.75; 5. Dustin Flundra, $26,030.91

TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID, 7.7, $11,809.44; 2. Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, UT, 8.2, $8,781.38; 3. Randall Carlisle, Athens, LA, 8.4, $5,753.32; 4. Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB, 8.5, $2,725.26; 5. Riley Warren, Stettler, AB, 8.7, $1,211.22
Total Season Earnings 1. Matt Shiozawa, $37,204.25; 2. Clint Robinson, $27,659.49; 3. Randall Carlisle, $24,024.88; 4. Lee Rombough, $21,896.75; 5. Alwin Bouchard, $21,886.22

LADIES BARREL RACING 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 14.764, $11,809.44; 2. Steffanie Mather, Medicine Hat, AB, 14.847, $8,781.38; 3. Britany Diaz, Mandan, ND, 14.851, $5,753.32; 4. Tara Muldoon, Hinton, AB, 14.853, $2,725.26; 5. Brook Robertson, Ponoka, AB, 14.880, $1,211.22
Total Season Earnings 1. Britany Diaz, $42,525.01; 2. Tara Muldoon, $30,628.87; 3. Steffanie Mather, $29,614.16; 4. Lisa Lockhart, $26,690.43; 5. Lisa Zachoda, $21,021.31

BULL RIDING 1. Dakota Buttar, Kindersley, SK, 88.50 points on Franklin Rodeo's 111U Buffalo Chips, $11,809.44; 2. Chad Besplug, Calgary, AB, 87.00, $8,781.38; 3. Tyler Pankewitz, Ponoka, AB, 85.50, $5,753.32; 4. Adam Jamison, Okotoks, AB, 83.00, $2,725.26; 5. Jesse Torkelson, Warburg, AB, 82.75, $1,211.22
Total Season Earnings 1. Dakota Buttar, $47,684.15; 2. Chad Besplug, $32,751.43; 3. Tyler Thomson, $32,449.75; 4. Jordan Hansen, $28,140.79; 5. Tyler Pankewitz, $27,883.63

ALL AROUND: 1. Ky Marshall, $33,501.77; 2. Kyle Thomson, $28,196.05; 3. Travis Reay, $16,785.62

HIGH POINT: 1. Curtis Cassidy, $47,931.79, 2. Ky Marshall, $33,501.77; 3. Logan Hodson, $28,956.33

Other Information:
Attendance for Wednesday, November 5, 2014 evening performance was 12,413

For more information and full results on Canadian Finals Rodeo, visit cfr.ca or rodeocanada.com.

Watch the Live Stream of the CFR at www.worldplaylive.com/cfr41 or listen live on CFCW 790 (cfcw.com)

About the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association: The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with it’s headquarters in Airdrie, Alberta, is the sanctioning body for professional rodeo in Canada. The CPRA sanctions over 50 events annually with a total payout exceeding $5.1 million. Join us for the 41st edition of the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) November 5th to 9th, 2014 in Edmonton, Alberta at Rexall Place, our association’s premiere event. For more information please visit RodeoCanada.com or call (403) 945-0903. Follow us on Twitter, or like our page on Facebook, and watch the action on YouTube throughout the year.  

For more information, please contact:
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email: cpra@rodeocanada.com
Telephone: (403) 945-0903
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