Canadian Finals Rodeo Watch
Airdrie, Alberta – One of the most successful and best attended regular seasons in Canadian rodeo history will wrap up with its final event—the Edmonton Pro Rodeo on September 29 and 30. But there are still a number of races that are not decided.
If it seems like the deck gets shuffled every week for the number 10 through 15 positions and the fight for the final CFR qualifying berths in steer wrestling, it’s because that’s exactly what happens. And this week was no different. Wainwright’s Ty Miller, who has provided late season heroics before, was up to his old tricks once again. The crafty dogger turned in a 4.0 flat run at Olstoberfest, good for third and $1414, a result that moved him from 15th to 12th (the final CFR spot, and dropped six-time Canadian Champion, Cody Cassidy, Craig Weisgerber and Landon Beardsworth all down one spot—to 13th, 14th and 15th respectively.
Ty Miller, steer wrestler. CFR photo by Covy Moore
One guy who doesn’t have to worry about whether or not to pack his bags for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer the first week of November is bareback rider Ty Taypotat. The reigning Canadian Champion was a double winner on the second last weekend of the season, notching victories at the Hanna Pro Rodeo and Oldstoberfest. The thirty-one year-old ten-time CFR qualifier was 86 points on C5 Rodeo’s 5024 Cinnamon Valley and a $1308 Olds payday. The newly married cowboy added a stellar 86.5 point effort on Bigstone Rodeo’s 48 Fired Up at Hanna for another $977. While the dual wins and $2285 in earnings will not lift Taypotat out of his current 4th place in the standings, it’s an indicator that the veteran cowboy will be bringing his A-game to Red Deer and a Ty Taypotat at his best will be a force to be reckoned with.
Ty Taypotat, defending Canadian Bareback Champion. CFR photo by Chantelle Bowman
Tie down roper Erik Dublanko, who was leading Clay Elliott for the final CFR qualifying spot by just $20 heading into the weekend, put some distance between himself and the former Canadian bronc riding titleist. The Thorsby, Alta. roper was second at Hanna with an 8.7 for $1432 and collected a fifth-place cheque for $1023 at Olds while Elliott was blanked on the weekend. Still with Edmonton being an SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour event meaning a potential big payday, Elliott has a chance if he can come up big in the provincial capital.
And the Team Roping is similar to the steer wrestling in that several teams are still scrambling for those final coveted berths on the CFR roster. One of those teams is the Czar, Alberta brother combination Brody and Logan Groves. Both brothers are back in the all-important top twelve again after a third place 6.6 second run at Hanna earned the pair a critical $1232. Claresholm’s Chase Simpson is the man in 13th spot on the heeling side just $756 back of Logan Groves while unofficially on the other side of the box, it looks like Brett Buss is the odd man out heading into Edmonton and that critical final weekend of the regular season.
Check for complete unofficial weekend results at rodeocanada.com
The one remaining event in the regular Canadian Professional Rodeo Association season–the Edmonton Pro Rodeo– is slated for September 29-30 at Expo Center Hall D, 7515 118 Ave NW in Edmonton. While this is the first official SMS Pro Tour rodeo of 2024, monies won will count for the 2023 season.
Courtesy of CPRA