It was a full house in Regina, and the crowd was ready to party! Let’s get right to it.
In Bareback, it was a fight to a long finish. Ty Taypotat of Regina came in tonight as the Average leader, and with that status, he rode last. His horse, the pick of the night, fell the first jump out and Taypotat was granted a re-ride, which happened just before the saddle bronc competition. And then (drum roll) I again experienced Access’ infamous Internetus Interruptus – and now the only thing I can tell you at this time is that Cole Goodine of Carbon is headed to Colorado. The moment the official results are posted, I’ll clear up the mystery of his running mate… Sorry folks, rural internet – yay. UPDATE: Turns out, Ty split 3/4 in the round with an 81 on his re-ride, but came up short to Cole Goodine of Carbon in the Average. Cole was also the MCC Champion. Who his running mate will be to go to Colorado remains to be seen. I still don’t have access to the updated standings.
In Steer Wrestling, Dustin Walker of Vanscoy, Sask., dropped his steer in 3.7-sec’s. Ryan Shuckburg of Innisfail was 4.1-sec’s and Layne Delemont of Chauvin, Alta., was 4.3. The Average winner was Stephen Culling of Fort St. John, B.C., and the Maple Leaf Circuit Champion is Matt Richardson of Olds. Alta. The Average winner and the MLC Champion will compete in the National Circuit Finals (the NFR Open) at Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado next July. Stephen Culling has enjoyed the national spotlight before as he is the 2010 National High School Steer Wrestling Champion, a competition held in some faraway state south of the Medicine Line.
Oh, Brother! That Team Roping! It’s two sets of brothers that will be representing the Maple Leaf in Colorado. The Average winners are Dillon & Dawson Graham of Wainwright, and the MLC Champions are Keely & Logan Bonnett of Ponoka. Tonight’s round was split by cousins Klay Whyte & Brett Buss, and brothers Tyrel & Tel Flewelling. Everything’s relative in this sport…
Saddle Bronc was exciting as Kole Ashbacher of Arrowwood has to clear some room on his buckle shelf as he won the round tonight with 82.5 on Prairie Rodeo’s 502 North Star and the Average. Second in the round tonight was Lucas Macza of High River with 82-pts. Macza’s cheque vaulted him to Number 1 in the season’s standings, so Ashbacher and Macza will go south to Colorado.
Lisa Zachoda of Okotoks won tonight’s round in Ladies Barrels with her time of 13.734-sec’s. Second was Taylor Manning with 13.833. The Average winner was Shelby Spielman of Ponoka (via Texas) and the MLC Champion is Justine Elliott of Lacombe, so these two cowgirls will be heading to Colorado next summer.
Tie-Down Roping saw all straight running calves, so no real excitement (unlike rounds 2 & 3), until Clayton Smith of Eckville finished the job in 7.3-sec’s to win the round. Jesse Popescul of Glentworth, Sask., won the four-head Average, and Nanton’s Logan Bird won the season, so these two rodeo veterans will hit the trail to Colorado.
Ladies Breakaway (BAW); didn’t this turn out to be a super-popular, crowd-pleasing sport! This is the first year the sport is sanctioned in pro rodeo, and Kendal Pierson of Wardlow is already a legend. In 2021, the teenager won the National High School BAW Championship in Springfield, Ill., she won the inaugural Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer and the Canadian Championship, she set the Canadian Arena Record at Bonnyville with her time of 1.92-sec’s and now, she is the 2021 MLC Champion as well as the Average winner. What did you do this summer?
Jenna Dallyn of Nanton was the runner-up for the Championship and the Average race, so she’s going south too.
Bull Riding saw four men cover their rides, and the men who won the rodeo tonight were Griffin Smeltzer of Claresholm (Strandquist’s 410 Western Wine), who split first & second with Tanner Eno of Coronation (C5 Rodeo’s 409 Moo Cha Cha) with 86-pts. Griffin forged to the lead of the season’s standings with this cheque, and the MLC Champion will be heading to Colorado. Now let’s talk about Jared Parsonage of Maple Creek. What a year this man has had. He won the Guy Weadick Award at the Calgary Stampede. He is the 2021 Canadian All-Around Champion, the 2021 Canadian Bull Riding Champion, and the Canadian Finals Rodeo Average Champion and now, he is the 2021 MLCF Average winner. All this, and he got married in 2021. Jared will throw his gear bag in with Griffin as they head to Colorado to represent Canada next summer.
This was a terrific Finals with robust and enthusiastic crowds and sponsors proud to wave their flag. The only sad note of the whole shebang was that this was the last Canadian pro rodeo capping off the incredible, ground-breaking career of 2020-2021 Miss Rodeo Canada Alicia Erickson. Alicia will be flying our flag at the National Finals in Vegas for her final duties and then will hand the reins over to 2022 Miss Rodeo Canada, Jayden Calvert.
Adios from Saskatchewan!
(If you’d like to watch the replays, they will be available on FloRodeo – and it’d be worth it just to watch Logan Bird (Round 2) and Riley Warren (Round 3) catch that renegade calf! Talk about cowboy up!