November 8, 2006 - The Canadian Finals Rodeo kicked off in Edmonton, Alta. this evening in front of 14,840 energized rodeo fans packed into Rexall Place.
There are 99 cowboys and cowgirls vying for Canadian titles in the five major rodeo events (saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, tie-down roping and steer wrestling), the two major optional events (ladies barrel racing and team roping) as well as novice saddle bronc and novice bareback this year.
With a total prize pool of approximately $1.6 million dollars up for grabs, the stakes are high and the tension is tight.
Things heated up right from the get-go as the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s 2006 rookie of the year Travis Frank came out blazing.
Frank, who hails from Stony Plain, Alta., set a new arena record in the steer wrestling event with an amazing 3.1-second run. He passed the mark of 3.2 seconds which was set by Donalda, Alta.’s Curtis Cassidy in 2000.
“Luck’s on my side, that’s it,” the 22-year-old cowboy stated humbly.
He gave a lot of credit to the quality of the stock used at the Finals. “They’re all good (steers), but I had one of the better ones.”
He also admitted that he was a little nervous as he’s making his first appearance in Edmonton at the year-end battle. “This is the best of the best, it’s how it is.” Bad nerves are something that he often encounters. “I’m always nervous,” he explained. “Every rodeo I entered this year I was nervous.”
He picked up $9,048 and 40 championship points for his efforts.
Other winners during the first performance were: Saddle bronc rider Ross Kreutzer (Maple Creek, Sask.) rode Franklin Rodeo’s Limited Edition for 82 points; bareback rider Davey Shields Jr. (Bashaw, Alta.) was 84.5 points on Big Country Rodeo’s Rock N Roll; Jody Turner, back for the first time since 2003 when he won a Canadian championship, was 85.5 points on Northcott’s Ghetto Blaster and won only one of four bull riders to make the eight second whistle; three-time CFR aggregate champion tie-down roper Steve Lloyd (Alix, Alta.) won his event with an 8.5-second run; Chadron, Neb.’s Lisa Lockhart was the fastest barrel racer on night No. 1, running the cloverleaf pattern in 15.37 seconds; team ropers Jim Randle (Okotoks, Alta.) and Mike Beers (Post, Ore.) had a 4.7-second run, three ticks faster than reigning Canadian champions Travis Gallais (Olds, Alta.) and Rocky Dallyn (Nanton, Alta.) who were five seconds flat.
The Canadian Finals Rodeo runs though Sunday with performances at 7:00 pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as afternoon shows on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 pm. Complete results and video highlights are available at www.rodeocanada.com and www.canadianfinalsrodeo.ca..
Saddle Bronc
1st Go-Round
1 Ross Kreutzer, Maple Creek, SK 82.0 $9,048
Franklin Rodeo’s Limited Edition
2 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 81.5 6,786
3 Glen O’Neill, Didsbury, AB 81.0 4,524
4 Rod Warren, Big Valley, AB 80.5 2,262
Championship Points
1 Ross Kreutzer, Maple Creek, SK 40
2 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 30
3 Glen O’Neill, Didsbury, AB 20
4 Rod Warren, Big Valley, AB 10
Bareback
1st Go-Round
1 Davey Shields Jr., Bashaw, AB 84.5 $9,048
Big Country Rodeo’s Rock N Roll
2 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO 83.5 6,786
3 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB 80.5 4,524
4 Troy Tattrie, Youngstown, AB 79.5 1,131
4 Matt Lait, Seven Persons, AB 79.5 1,131
Championship Points
1 Davey Shields Jr., Bashaw, AB 40
2 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO 30
3 Dusty LaValley, Crooked Creek, AB 20
4 Troy Tattrie, Youngstown, AB 5
4 Matt Lait, Seven Persons, AB 5
Bull Riding
1st Go-Round
1 Jody Turner, Cochrane, AB 84.5 $9,048
Northcott Rodeo’s Ghetto Blaster
2 Steven Turner, Cochrane, AB 84.0 6,786
3 Blade Young, Tyvan, SK 82.5 4,524
4 Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, AB 80.0 2,262
Championship Points
1 Jody Turner, Cochrane, AB 40
2 Steven Turner, Cochrane, AB 30
3 Blade Young, Tyvan, SK 20
4 Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, AB 10
Tie-Down ROPING
1st Go-Round
1 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB 8.5 $9,048
2 Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, AB 8.7 6,786
3 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 9.4 4,524
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB, 11.2 2,262
Championship Points
1 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB 40
2 Alwin Bouchard, Scandia, AB 30
3 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 20
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 10
Steer Wrestling
1st Go-Round
1 Travis Frank, Stony Plain, AB 3.1 $9,048
2 Todd Woodward, Magrath, AB 3.4 6,786
3/4 Cody Cassidy, Donalda, AB 3.7 3,393
3/4 Beau Franzen, Billings, MT 3.7 3,393
Championship Points
1 Travis Frank, Stony Plain, AB 40
2 Todd Woodward, Magrath, AB 30
3/4 Cody Cassidy, Donalda, AB 15
3/4 Beau Franzen, Billings, MT 15
Ladies Barrel Racing
1st Go-Round
1 Lisa Lockhart, Chadron, NE 15.37 $9,048
2 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB 15.55 6,786
3 Brooke Ramsay, Cochrane, AB 15.69 4,524
4 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB 15.70 2,262
Championship Points
1 Lisa Lockhart, Chadron, NE 40
2 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB 30
3 Brooke Ramsay, Cochrane, AB 20
4 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB 10
Team Roping
1st Go-Round
1 Jim Randle, Okotoks, AB 4.7 $9,048
Mike Beers, Post, OR
2 Travis Gallais, Olds, AB 5.0 6,786
Rocky Dallyn, Nanton, AB
3 Justin McCarroll, Camrose, AB 5.5 4,524
Brett McCarroll, Camrose, AB
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 5.6 2,262
Wayne Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB
Championship Points
1 Jim Randle, Okotoks, AB 40
Mike Beers, Post, OR
2 Travis Gallais, Olds, AB 30
Rocky Dallyn, Nanton, AB
3 Justin McCarroll, Camrose, AB 20
Brett McCarroll, Camrose, AB
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 10
Wayne Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB
Novice Saddle Bronc
1st Go-Round
Cordel Griffith, Cessford, AB 75 $1,200
Championship Points
Cordel Griffith, Cessford, AB 60
Novice Bareback
1st Go-Round
Luke Creasy, Brownfield, AB 72 $1,200
Colter Harden, Big Valley, AB 68 800
Championship Points
Luke Creasy, Brownfield, AB 60
Colter Harden, Big Valley, AB
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