– By Dave Poulsen for Canadian Rodeo News
Kyle Lucas had been the runner-up for the Canadian Tie Down Roping title on three occasions. But despite this and what had to be an intense desire not to add a fourth second-place finish to his resume, the Carstairs, Alberta native wasn’t focused on that as he backed into the box to make his final run of the 2025 Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton’s Rogers Place.
“I felt like I was maybe a lot less nervous this time,” the second-generation roper explained, “and that makes you not as worried about the outcome. I wasn’t too worried about second place and I wasn’t telling myself ‘don’t win second place, don’t win second place’. I think that was a factor for sure.”
The calf Lucas had for his final run wasn’t easy as it ducked left just as the veteran was making his throw. “Yeah, it’s like a pool shot, you gotta put a little English on it to get it to go on,” he acknowledged. “But I think there were two things at play there. One was the hours and hours of practice and preparation, and the other part was there might have some ‘meant to be’ in there as well. There’s stuff behind the scenes that we don’t know about so I have to thank God for that loop going on because I think he might have has something to do with it too. My dad (Canadian Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame roper Smokin’ Joe Lucas) said a lot of people had those loops this week so you might as well have had one too.”
The result of that loop was an 8.3 second time that left a huge question mark. Stran Dunham was scheduled to rope after Lucas and had to beat that 8.3 for the win. Lucas was asked how confident he felt that his time would win him his first Canadian title.
“Initially I thought it might be good enough,” the nine-time CFR qualifier – who also recently qualified for his first NFR – commented. “I knew I didn’t have it wrapped up but I thought it was good enough to have a chance and put some heat on Stran, But I also knew that 8.3 gave Stran a chance to make a smoking run which he certainly can do. But that’s a lot of pressure on a young guy at his second CFR. I know because I’ve been in that exact same position.”
The 31-year-old had high praise for his fellow competitor. “Stran’s about the coolest guy out there. He and I were the two guys featured in the opening that night and I said to him as we were walking in, ‘they picked the two smiley-est guys to go out there and face off against each other’ and I knew we’d both have trouble keeping a straight face.
“When I was in Stran’s position in 2016 against Shane Hanchey I went out there and kind of played it safe instead of really going after it and it cost me. Stran didn’t do that. I was really proud of how he went at that last calf and I told him that.”
The win also provided one of the poignant moments of this CFR as Kyle’s sister Katy fought back tears as she interviewed her younger brother on the Cowboy Channel after his win. “I actually didn’t know for sure that I’d won it; I knew I’d won the average and at first I thought that’s why Katy was interviewing me, but when I saw her I pretty much knew.”
In addition to getting the monkey off his back and providing a beautiful saddle to display in the home Kyle and fiancé Kortney McReynolds are developing in Texas, the win is a nice confidence booster as the long, tall Canadian prepares to ride into the Thomas and Mack Arena for the first time. “These Canadian ropers in Edmonton are truly great but those guys in Las Vegas are wolves. I think it’s probably good that I’m going to my first NFR at this stage of my career, a little older and with more maturity that I feel I have acquired, especially in the last couple of years.”
Lucas placed in four of five CFR rounds, splitting the win in round three and winning the aggregate. With $36,978 from the CPRA regular season added to $35,807 in CFR earnings, the Alberta talent finished the year with $72,786 overall.
That maturity and preparation, both mental and physical, which Kyle Lucas has credited with taking his roping to another level were very much on display in Edmonton as one of rodeo’s most likable and most talented competitors sealed the deal on his first title… and along the way, made dang sure he was not a four-time runner-up.