Round 9 Results & Round 10 Draw
There was more Canadian content on the ‘Tailgate Party’ today.
Miss Rodeo Canada 2015 Katie Lucas interviewed Kendal Pierson, Wardlow, Alberta’s most famous 17-year-old. Her fast-growing list of accomplishments is mind-boggling. Just this year, Kendal won the Alberta High School Breakaway Roping title, which entitled her to go stateside for the Nationals — which she won. She set the CPRA record at Bonnyville with a don’t-blink run of 1.9 seconds. At the CFR in Red Deer, she won both the aggregate and Canadian championship. A couple of weeks later, Regina’s Agribition hosted the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals, and she again won the aggregate and the championship. That victory qualified her to compete in the National PRCA Circuit Finals in Colorado next July. Katie also pointed out that just this week in Vegas, Kendal won the All-In Breakaway Roping for $7,500.
Kendal thanked her parents and family for helping her along the way. She singled out neighbours Tim and Blake Williamson for all the help and encouragement. When Katie asked the smiling teenager what her plans for the near future are, Kendal indicated that she would buy her Professional membership as soon as she could, in other words, on her 18th birthday. I’ll be surprised if Kendal Pierson is not at the NFBR in 2022.
Round 9 Results
Bareback rider Caleb Bennett cured a slow week with a round winning 88 points. Orin Larsen partnered up with Calgary’s A-47 Arbitrator Joe for a fifth-place cheque. The Manitoba riggin’ rider has worked his way up to fifth in the average. Richie Champion scored 83 on Vern McDonald’s 44- Sesame Street. With one round to go, Richie is sixth in the average.
There was a traffic jam in the Steer Wrestling tonight. Four men clocked a crisp 3.9 for the win. With only two victory lap horses available, Stetson Jorgensen, Stockton Graves, Tyler Waguespack and Jesse Brown decided to ride double, but it wasn’t long before Waguespack was on foot, running beside them. Canadians Scott Guenthner and Curtis Cassidy finished in the crying hole with 4.5-second runs.
The computers will be smoking tomorrow night, trying to figure out what happened in the Team Roping. There are several teams with a chance, there could be a split (header from one team, heeler from another) championship, plus a Canadian could get the gold buckle. Round nine action was split when Coleman Proctor and Logan Medlin posted a 3.5, and Cody Snow and Wesley Thorpe matched it. Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler placed fifth with a 4.3 and moved up to second in the Average. Go Jeremy, Go!
Brodie Cress flashed a 91-point score to win round 9 and keep the debate open for the championship. He remains first in the average. It’ll probably amount to a one-header for the title. In reality, Chase Brooks, Zeke Thurston and Cody DeMoss hold the next three average spots ahead of the ‘gifted’ Ryder Wright. If any of them take a zero, Ryder moves up a notch and winning the title gets easier for him.
Back to Round 9. Calgary’s B-26 Business Girl packed Stetson Wright to an 89.5-point ride for second place. Kolby Wanchuk marked 85.5 to split sixth place money. Layton Green was 84.5, Zeke Thurston marked 81.5, Ben Andersen bucked off, and Dawson Hay failed to start Calgary’s S-83 Special Delivery. Sage Newman came down off Calgary’s S-73 Amazon Hills.
Haven Meged kept his championship chances alive when he clocked a 7.3 for the win. Shane Hanchey rode Logan Bird’s award-winning Peso to a third-place cheque with a 7.6. Hanchey is the current standings leader, with Caleb Smidt close by. Smidt leads the average, with Hanchey nipping at his heels. It’ll be a one-header tomorrow for the coveted buckle.
Jordan Briggs and Stevi Hillman were both timed at 13.48 for the victory. Briggs is the only one with nine clean runs. Jordan and Hailey sit one-two in the average and the reverse in the standings. It’s one run for the title.
Braden Richardson has been riding with a broken rib all week, and he finally got a whistle; it was worth a big 89 points for the win. Braden’s victory lap looked painful, but he wanted to do it. Sage Kimsey settled for a 72.5 score on Duane Kesler’s 481 Switchback and picked up a fourth-place cheque.
On a sad note, bullfighter Dusty Tuckness suffered a broken leg when a bull stepped on it. Dr Tandy Freeman’s prompt diagnosis was, “Both bones broken, surgery tomorrow.”
My friend had a brainwave:
I had a friend phone me with a brilliant idea for the NFRs of the future. We’re working on the wording, but after this rodeo winds up, I will post it on Sunday or Monday, so keep checking in.
Round 10 Draw
In the bares: Orin Larsen will tangle with Pete Carr’s 213 Good Time Charlie. Richie Champion has drawn Pickett Prorodeo’s 1608 Uncapped. The Calgary Stampede’s A-91 Agent Lynx and X-9 Xplosive Skies have drawn Tildon Hooper and R.C. Landingham. Garrett Shadbolt has the one they all wanted: Macza’s 118 OLS Tubs Stevie Knicks.
Calgary’s record-tying (95 points) saddle bronc W-16 Wild Cherry will test Ben Andersen. I imagine Ben has been wanting to draw that horse all year. Hopefully, he has his riding pants on. The last time Layton Green had a C5 bronc, he split the round. He has another C5 horse for round 10, namely 3003 Trump Card. Dawson Hay has not found his groove at this year’s NFR; hopefully, Ward Macza’s World Champion Saddle Bronc 242 OLS Tubs Get Smart can cure that with a big score. Two-time World Champion Bronc Rider Zeke Thurston is matched up with 113 All or Nothing from Sammy Andrews. Kolby Wanchuk should be excited to mount 025 Feather Fluffer from the Championship Pro Rodeo herd. Sage Newman will close his finals on Calgary’s T-77 Tokyo Bubbles.
There are two Big Stone bulls in round 10. Stetson Wright has 409 Mr Clean, and Parker Breding will try W20 War Cry.
Stay tuned; it all comes down to this…
