CPRA Press Release - October 6, 2009

By Pamela Porosky, CPRA
Posted Wednesday, October 7, 2009

October 6, 2009

CALGARY, ALTA. – Team ropers Shane Schwenke and Mike Beers were the talk of the town in Calgary, Alta. after their record setting time at the Wrangler Canadian Professional Rodeo Tour Championships this past weekend.

After slow times in the first and second performances at the three-day rodeo, a 3.7-second run in the third performance, the rodeo’s semifinals, gave them a chance for the championship and a go in the finals.

“We had a really good steer in the finals and made a really good run. I knew it was fast when I looked up and it said 3.7 and I thought, ‘Man that’s cool,’” Beers smiled.

They tied the Canadian record set by Wayne and Dale Skodopole at Red Deer in 2001, the second time Beers has had that honour. In 2008, Beers, along with his son Brandon Beers, set the arena record of 3.7 seconds at the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR).

But the weekend got even better, with the pair obliterating that record in the finals by an impressive 0.3-second margin.

“It was a blast. It’s the two fastest runs I’ve been back-to-back, ”Schwenke beamed.

“It was a lot of fun today.”

A wide-eyed Beers continued, “In the short round, the last go-round, Travis Gallais and (Brett McCarroll) was 4.4, which was the second fastest time of the whole rodeo. I knew we had to be fast.”

They knew they had a good steer, after seeing the animal the night before.

“And Shane did a really good job getting on him; I kind of went by a little bit and it made it for a really fast run. When Shane looked at me he goes, ‘How fast was were we?’ And I went, ‘It was really fast,’” Beers recalled excitedly.

The world record is 3.5 seconds, but because the Tour Finals aren’t sanctioned by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), the governing body for the world rodeo records and standings, they’ll have to “settle” for the Canadian record. But, that doesn’t change the fact that this team roping duo is currently the fastest pair in their event.

And again, for Beers.

“In 1983, I had the world record, which was 3.9 in The States, and now to come back, I’m 51-years-old, and have a chance to break that record
and have it again is pretty cool.”

Beers and Scwhenke earned $10,000 between them for the wins, and will spend the next four weeks preparing for CFR.

Going into the Tour Finals, Schwenke was 10th in the Canadian team roping header standings, while heeler Beers was in eighth.

They’re both now in first place.

“I was at the bottom and needed to do well this week, and to go from last to first is a good deal,” Schwenke smiled. “We can go into Edmonton with a little bit of a roll on our shoulders.”

The complete list of Champions is: saddle bronc rider Justin Berg (Marwayne, Alta.), bareback rider Bobby Mote (Culver, Ore.), bull rider Ty Elliott (Vernon, BC), tie-down roper Nathan Baldwin (Blackfoot,Idaho), steer wrestler Cody Cassidy (Donalda, Alta.), ladies barrel racer Brittany Pozzi (Victoria, TX) and team ropers Mike Beers (Post, Ore.) and Shane Schwenke (Zortman, Mont.).

The Champions in the six major events (Saddle Bronc, Bareback, Bull Riding, Tie-Down Roping, Steer Wrestling and Ladies Barrel Racing) along with the second place finishers in Sunday's Final Four round received a bye into the Canadian Finals Rodeo to be held November 11-15, 2009 in Edmonton, Alta., and the 2010 Calgary Stampede, July 9-18, 2010.

Please visit www.rodeocanada.com for complete results and standings.

Upcoming Rodeos:
Saskatoon, SK ~ October 9-11 (counts towards 2010 season)
Edmonton, AB ~ November 11-15 (Canadian Finals Rodeo XXXVI)