Eight Canadian Champions Named as Canadian Finals Rodeo Wraps Up 36th Year

By Pamela Porosky, Canadian Rodeo News
Posted Monday, November 16, 2009

Edmonton, AB – Rexall Place was a pressure cooker during the closing performance of the 36th Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR).

The tightest race was in the saddle bronc riding, the classic event of rodeo. The first five rounds left seven contestants with a real shot at the Canadian championship, and only one taking home the title. After an intense performance where every single contestant gave it their all, Chet Johnson of Gilette, Wyo. Picked up his first Canadian title. Johnson, who's been rodeoing in Canada for the last five years, rode Outlawbucker's Miss Congeniality to second place in the final go. His score of 86-points earned him just enough to squeeze ahead of second place finisher Jim Berry (Rocky Mountain House, Alta.), and third place rider, and go-round winner, Dustin Flundra (Pincher Creek, Alta.).

“It made for a great Sunday,” Johnson grinned.

Kyle Bowers clinched the Canadian bareback championship for the second year in a row after a tight race with Crooked Creek, Alta.'s Dusty LaValley and Kelly Timberman of Mills, Wyo. Bowers, from Brooks, Alta., who also won the aggregate, won the bareback title in 2005 and 2008.

Al Bouchard celebrated his ninth trip to CFR with his first Canadian title. The tie-down roper from Scandia, Alta. also tied for the aggregate championship, along with Matt Shiozawa of Chubbuck, ID.

Reigning Canadian steer wrestling champion Cody Cassidy of Donalda, Alta. also maintained his lead coming in to the CFR to claim his second consecutive title.

In the ladies barrel racing, it was Gaylene Buff all week long as the Westwold, B.C. Cowgirl placed in every single go-round. Buff came into CFR in sixth place with $26,877, and rides out a champion after more than doubling her season earnings after a tight race that went right down to the wire.

But it was the bull riding that really had a lot of predictions until the closing ceremonies, where each Canadian champion was named and presented with their championship buckles. After an intense round of alternating buck offs and big scores, it was between Brett Thompson of Medicine Hat, Alta. and Scott Schiffner of Strathmore, Alta.

The lights were dimmed and the champions were called into the arena one by one when Thompson learned that his 88.75 on the CPRA bull of the year Speed Dial, from the Calgary Stampede, took him for a ride to the top.

“I was halfway up the alley and I said, 'Did I win it?' And they said, 'Yeah,'” Thompson laughed, who capped off the 2009 season with earnings of $76,208.

After the cowboys and cowgirls were honoured in front of 14,004 rodeo fans, the top bucking stock of the CFR were announced. Saddle bronc horse Get Smart from Harvey Northcott, bareback horse and living legend Grated Coconut of the Calgary Stampede and Slash, a bull from Vold Rodeo pen making his CFR debut, took those honours.

RESULTS:
2009 Canadian All-Around Champion: Kyle Thomson, Black Diamond, AB
2009 Canadian High Point Champion: Kyle Thomson, Black Diamond, AB

Saddle Bronc Riding - Go 6
1 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB, 86.75 $10,847.62 (Kesler Rodeo Co.'s Starburst); 2 Chet Johnson, Gillette, WY, 86.00 $8,135.71;3 Rod Hay, Wildwood, AB, 84.50 $5,423.81;4 Jim Berry, Rocky Mtn. House, AB, 84.25 $2,711.90
Total Season Earnings
1 Chet Johnson, Gillette, WY $54,184.86;2 Jim Berry, Rocky Mtn. House, AB $51,823.90;3 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB $50,497.43;4 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB $48,849.57
2009 Canadian Champion Saddle Bronc Rider: Chet Johnson
2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo SB Aggregate Winner: Alan Bandy

Bareback Riding - Go 6
1 Matt Lait, Seven Persons, AB, 86.00 $10,847.62 (Kesler Rodeo Co.'s Street Dance); 2 Michael Solberg, Sunnynook, AB, 85.75 $8,135.71;3 Kyle Bowers, Brooks, AB, 84.00 $5,423.81;4/4 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO, 83.25 $1,355.95;4/4 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB, 83.25 $1,355.95;
Total Season Earnings
1 Kyle Bowers, Brooks, AB $65,695.71;2 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB $63,793.90;3 Kelly Timberman, Mills, WY $50,378.24;4 Michael Solberg, Sunnynook, AB $37,797.24;
2009 Canadian Bareback Champion: Kyle Bowers
2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo BB Aggregate Winner: Kyle Bowers

Bull Riding - Go 6
1 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB, 88.75 $10,847.62 (Calgary Stampede's Speed Dial); 2 Ty Elliott, Vernon, BC, 88.50 $8,135.71;3 Scott Schiffner, Strathmore, AB, 87.75 $5,423.81;4 Steven Turner, Cochrane, AB, 85.75 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB $76,206.48;2 Scott Schiffner, Strathmore, AB $64,763.62;3 Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, AB $53,703.00;4 Devon Mezei, Scandia, AB $52,579.43;
2009 Canadian Bull Riding Champion: Brett Thompson
2009 Canadian Finals BR Aggregate Winner: Scott Schiffner

Tie-Down Roping - Go 6
1 Tyson Durfey, Colbert, WA, 7.1 $10,847.62;2 Mike Johnson, Henryetta, OK, 8.0 $8,135.71;3 Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, AB, 8.1 $5,423.81;4 Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID, 8.2 $2,711.90;
Total Season Earnings
1 Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, AB $63,932.62;2 Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID $58,249.62;3 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB $51,091.29;4 Marty Becker, Cardston, AB $40,591.24;
2009 Canadian Champion Tie-Down Roper: Alwin Bouchard
2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo TD Aggregate Winners: Alwin Bouchard, Matt Shiozawa

Steer Wrestling - Go 6
1 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB, 4.1 $10,847.62;2 Todd Woodward, Magrath, AB, 4.5 $8,135.71;3/4 Hunter Cure, Holliday, TX, 4.7 $4,067.86;3/4 Cody Cassidy, Donalda, AB, 4.7 $4,067.86;
Total Season Earnings
1 Cody Cassidy, Donalda, AB $71,357.86; 2 Hunter Cure, Holliday, TX $57,920.52;3 Tanner Milan, Cochrane, AB $45,052.62;4 Lee Graves, Calgary, AB $38,879.62;
2009 Canadian Steer Wrestling Champion: Cody Cassidy
2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo SW Aggregate Winner: Hunter Cure

Ladies Barrel Racing - Go 6
1 Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, TX, 14.68 $10,847.62;2 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB, 14.72 $8,135.71;3/4 Rana Walter, Lethbridge, AB, 14.85 $4,067.86;3/4 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB, 14.85 $4,067.86;
Total Season Earnings
1 Gaylene Buff, Westwold, BC $67,555.57;2 Rana Walter, Lethbridge, AB $66,627.28;3 Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, TX $63,598.29;4 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB $62,428.67;
2009 Canadian Ladies Barrel Racing Champion: Gaylene Buff
2009 Canadian Finals LBR Aggregate Winner: Rana Walter

Team Roping - Go 6
1 Brett Buss, Ponoka, AB $1,885.71 & Jeffrey Quam, Okotoks, AB $1,885.71, 4.3;2 Steele DePaoli, Longview, AB $1,414.29 & Don DePaoli, Longview, AB $1,414.29, 5.5;3 Travis Gallais, Olds, AB $942.86 & Rocky Dallyn, Nanton, AB $942.86, 6.2;4 Levi Simpson, Claresholm, AB $471.43 & John Robertson, Polsen, MT $471.43, 11.1;
Total Season Earnings
Header
1 Travis Gallais, Olds, AB $19,865.29;2 Levi Simpson, Claresholm, AB $18,164.14;3 Blair Stroh, Elkwater, AB $17,071.86;4 Shane Schwenke, Harlem, MT $16,985.29;
Heeler
1 Kevin Schreiner, Medicine Hat, AB $18,488.86;2 John Robertson, Polsen, MT $17,767.14;3 Brett McCarroll, Camrose, AB $17,449.71;4 Mike Beers, Post, OR $17,038.29;
2009 Canadian Team Roping Champion (Header): Travis Gallais
2009 Canadian Team Roping Champion (Heeler): Kevin Schreiner
2009 Canadian Finals Rodeo TR Aggregate Winners: Justin McCarroll and Brett McCarroll

2009 Canadian Novice Saddle Bronc Champion: Rylan Geiger
2009 Canadian Novice Bareback Champion: Colin Adams
2009 Canadian Boys Steer Riding Champion: Shay Marks

2009 CFR Bucking Stock
Saddle Bronc: Northcott Rodeo's Get Smart
Bareback: Calgary Stampede's Grated Coconut
Bull: Vold Rodeo's Slash

Please visit www.rodeocanada.com for complete results from CFR.