Blazing Saddle

Airdrie, ALTA – July 17, 2017 – “I feel like I’ve made that step I needed to make.”

Layton Green made that comment after winning the saddle bronc riding event at the Teepee Creek Stampede with an 85.5 point performance on Kesler Rodeo’s ‘What About Me’ to earn a $2005 payday at the northern Alberta community.

The ‘step’ Green was referring too was a progression that has taken the Meeting Creek, Alberta cowboy from solid to sensational which is what he has been throughout pretty much all of 2017.

“I didn’t really know that horse,” Green admitted of his Teepee Creek draw. (Travelling partner) “Jake Watson had been on him before but they didn’t along that well. I knew the horse could be really good and he was – a little scoot and then he got right to it – just what you want.”

The win solidified Green’s spot at the top of the Canadian standings; he now sits at almost $37,000 won and has a $16,000 cushion over the second place man, reigning world champion, Zeke Thurston. And just as importantly Green has now climbed to eighth place in the world standings as he vies for his first trip to the National Finals Rodeo.

“The year has been pretty outstanding, that’s for sure,” the 23 year-old cowboy smiled. “I think the difference is that my mental game is stronger this year. I’m working really hard at being as calm as I can and it feels like there’s not much that can faze me now.”

Green has finished in the top twenty in each of the last two years but right now is on a roll that could see him make that coveted first trip to Las Vegas. Green won both the long and short go’s at Ponoka as well as the average and netted a second place cheque in the showdown there as well, then headed off to the Calgary Stampede where he wound up second overall there for a $40,000 payday, and slipped in a quick – and successful – trip to Estes Park, Colorado and a $5300 win there.

It would be hard to find a hotter cowboy in professional rodeo right now.

“When you’re hot, it all just kind of flows.” Green noted, adding that he hoped that hot spell could continue for a while yet. As for the rest of the year, “I plan to rodeo as hard as I can until I know I’ve got the NFR made.”

The next leg of that journey started the day after the Stampede ended as he and travelling partners Sam Kelts and Watson (they were first, second and fourth at Teepee Creek) headed off to Nampa, Idaho with additional stops planned for Edmonton, Ogden, Utah, Morris, Manitoba and Salinas, California over the next several days.

For complete Teepee Creek Stampede results go to rodeocanada.com

There are four CPRA stops on the calendar this week. The action kicks off with the Oyen White Lightning Cowboy Crunch event on Wednesday, July 19. The Manitoba Stampede in Morris is a Canadian Pro Rodeo Tour stop and runs from July 20 to 23rd while the newly-minted Edmonton K-Days Rodeo (richest one header in rodeo) kicks off a three performance run on July 21 (through 23rd). And, Kennedy, Saskatchewan’s 85th Moose Mountain Pro Rodeo will take place on the 22nd and 23rd.

About the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association
The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with headquarters in Airdrie, Alberta is the sanctioning body for professional rodeo in Canada. The CPRA approves over 50 events annually with a total payout exceeding $5.1 million. Join us September 29-30, 2017 for our 4th Annual Grass Roots Final (at the Agrium Western Event Centre, Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta) and for our premiere event – the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) November 8-12, 2017 at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat at @prorodeocanada, like Canadian Professional Rodeo Association on Facebook or online at RodeoCanada.com.

Courtesy of CPRA