Kelts Hits Winner’s Circle at Dawson Creek

Airdrie, ALTA – August 14, 2017 – “Lord, it sounds so easy, this shouldn’t take long. Be back in the money in no time at all”

These lines are from the Alan Jackson hit, “Gone Country” and it darn sure applies when you talk about the amazing Kesler Rodeo bronc of the same name and the guys who climb aboard.

Take Sam Kelts, for example, who got on the 12 year-old bay mare at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede and rode to first place with an 86 score and a tidy $2414 cheque. It’s the third time Kelts has had her over the years but Kelts was especially excited about this trip.

“She’d been above average this year, that’s for sure,” Kelts noted. “I was really happy to draw her.”

Travelling partner, Layton Green, had Gone Country at Ponoka to win the long go, then was a spectacular 90 points at Medicine Hat before the mare decided it was time for a little payback and tossed the #1 man in the Canadian standings at High Prairie at about the six second mark.

So Kelts’ excitement was warranted. “Sometimes she has a couple of moves in there but with me, she was straight as a string, real nice jump and kick—just what every bronc rider wants.”

Factor in a 1/2 split at Omak, Washington (alongside reigning Canadian Champ, Clay Elliott) with another 86 pointer for $3081 and a 5th place cheque at Jerome, Idaho and it adds up to a $6000 week for the talented second generation cowboy. It’s been a solid year, especially in Canada for the ten time CFR qualifier but it took a while to get going in the US.

“I had a really slow start down there,” Kelts acknowledged. “In fact I didn’t do s—t until about July 4 but it’s probably too late for me to think about the NFR for this year. Which means Kelts’ attention is very much on a Canadian championship that has eluded the 33 year-old thus far in what has been an otherwise tremendous career.

“Yeah that’s my focus from the first horse of the year to the last one,” Kelts admitted. And with eighteen thousand in the bank already on this side of the 49th parallel, Kelts is poised to take a serious run at that title.

A couple of veterans got together in the tie down roping at Dawson Creek and the result was predictable. The ever-consistent Dean Edge of Rimbey, Alberta combined with an old friend, the record-setting Sid, (seven time Tie Down Roping Horse of the Year) for a 9.1 second run and a $2567 first place pay cheque.

“He feels the same way he always has,” stated Edge, “Murray Pole rode him there as well and said it was like ten years ago. I competed on him at Ponoka and won $3300 and should have placed at Strathmore on him. Sid’s still one of the hardest-running and hardest-stopping horses out there.”

Edge has been saving the 22 year old super star for some of the bigger events and it appears that he still loves his job.

“When the announcer calls my name, Sid starts going into the box,” Edge chuckled. The 10 time CFR qualifier has been relying on his 17 year old gelding, Taco, for most of this season’s work. “He’s been really good too,” Edge added. “But I’ll use Sid at Armstrong for sure because it’s so loud there and nothing bothers him.”

Cochrane, Alberta’s Baillie Milan continued his blazing streak of runs with a pair of quick times up north as he split the win at Dawson Creek (3.5 seconds to tie Brendan Laye) and added a second place finish at La Crete’s Field of Dreams Stampede (4.4 seconds). The two results deposited another $4200 in the veteran bulldogger’s bank account and he continued a climb up the standings that started with him in 50th at the end of July and now sees him a legitimate contender for a CFR berth and the realization of a longtime dream—competing alongside both brothers Tanner and Straws in Edmonton in November.

Reigning Canadian champion bull rider, Jordan Hansen continued his push for an NFR berth as he notched the win at La Crete—he was 86.5 on Outlaw Buckers’ Bombshell for a $1567 stipend and collected another $2263 with a 2/3 splitting 82.5 score. The dual results put Hansen in 14th spot in the world standings and very much a part of an NFR conversation that hasn’t seen a Canadian in the bull riding in Las Vegas since 2001 when Rob Bell and Kagan Sirett (who replaced injured fellow Canadian, Greg Whitlow) carried the Canadian colours.

Manitoba bareback rider Orin Larsen was also among the Canadians to enjoy success ‘South of 49’ this week. The two time WNFR qualifier earned the win at Lovington, New Mexico ($5,351) and picked up a second place cheque at Omak, Washington for an additional $4,243 – which moves him to 15th place in the world standings.

For complete La Crete and Dawson Creek results, go to rodeocanada.com To view PRCA rodeo results, check out prorodeo.com.

This week will see cowboys and cowgirls make their way to three Grass Roots Rodeo Series venues: Jasper Heritage Rodeo, August 16 to 19 and Cranbrook Pro Rodeo and Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo which both run from August 18 to 20.

About the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association
The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with headquarters in Airdrie, Alta. 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, AB) 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