Round 8 Results & “The French Judge” – with Tom Reardon

Thursday is traditionally Canada Night, and in Fort Worth, they honoured the custom. PRCA photo by Stangle.

Dec 11, 2020 – Maple Creek, Sask.

I’’m dating myself, so for anyone under 40, the ‘French Judge’ goes back to the Olympic Figure Skating Judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne, who was awarding outrageous scores at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Her scores were so scandalous that the Olympic Governors called for an inquiry. A lengthy investigation revealed Russia had bribed her. She was suspended, medals were revoked and re-awarded and several rules were revised.

I doubt the judges are thrilled about it, but in this year’s broadcast, a graphic is displayed that shows what each of the four judges marked the rider and the stock. I question some of the 24 spur rides for a guy that missed a couple of licks. But, what really sticks in my craw is the stock scores. I just can’t get my head around how two supposedly qualified judges could watch the same bronc buck in the same tracks and be 4 or 5 points apart in their evaluation. The other two? Somewhere in the middle, then on the next horse, they might be the ones with the big spread. Does a horse buck harder on one side than the other? It’s happened several times, and it’s not a victimless crime, for every gift given, one or more guys are shafted.

Now for the Round 8 results:

Jess Pope on his way to 89 pts on Calgary Stampede’s X-9 Xplosive Skies in Rnd 8. PRCA photo by Stangle.

Young Jess Pope scored 89 points aboard the Calgary Stampede’s X-9 Xplosive Skies. It was the electric mare’s second go-round win. Orin Larsen tied for 3rd and 4th with Tanner Aus. They scored 85 points, Orin was on Beutler & Son’s Redigo, and Tanner rode S-77 Soap Bubbles from the Stampede. Kaycee Field split sixth with a 77 on C5 Rodeo’s 144 Black Eye. Jamie Howlett survived C5’s D39 Make Up Face for 71 points. Ward Macza’s X-81 OLS Tubs Spilled Perfume got the best of Richie Champion.

It was money or mud for AQHA Horse of the Year, Tyson. He packed Blake Knowles to the win with a 3.6-second run. Tyson’s owner, Curtis Cassidy, took 14.1 seconds to throw his steer, and Matt Reeves and Jesse Brown both had no time.

The Colby Lovell/Paul Eaves duo won the Team Roping with a 4.3. Levi Simpson and Shay Carroll tied for 3rd and 4th with a 4.7. Kolton Schmidt and Hunter Koch were 4.5 plus 5.

The gifted Ryder Wright won the round again in the Bronc Riding. Zeke Thurston spurred out 86 points on Angel Eyes from Three Hills Rodeo. Shorty Garrett won 5th on Z-92 Zaka Kibitz from the Calgary Stampede, and they also threw off Taos Muncy and Jacobs Crawley from Y-38 Yesterday’s Delivery and T-65 Tiger Warrior. I don’t think Northcott/Macza’s 242 OLS Tubs Get Smart was ridden for a total of 5 seconds in two rounds. He pitched Lefty Holman tonight.

Westyn Hughes won the Tie-Down event with a 7.4-second run. Shane Hanchey threw his hands in the air at 8.8 to remain the leader in the lucrative Average.

Here’s old news: Hailey Tinsel won another round with another record. It took her 16.56 to tour the pattern tonight.

Ty Wallace and Roscoe Jarboe split the Bull Riding with 89.5 points.

At the Go-Round Buckle presentation, Keith Marrington and ‘Goose’ were on stage to accept the buckle and cheque on behalf of X-9 Xplosive Skies, and Blake Knowles had Curtis Cassidy and hazer Tanner Milan on stage for his presentation.