Mote Makes Use of Tour to Secure Trip to CFR

Armstrong, B.C, home of the Interior Provincial Exhibition & Stampede, was host to the final stop on the 2007 Canadian Rodeo Tour last weekend. Held August 29, to September 2, the rodeo saw some of the CPRA’s top cowboys and cowgirls come out for one last chance at pre-qualifying for the Canadian Finals Rodeo through the Tour. The Canadian Rodeo Tour consists of 11 rodeos on the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s circuit. At the close of the tour, the top two contestants in each of the six major events (saddle bronc,bareback, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and ladies barrel racing) are guaranteed a spot at the Finals, regardless of their citizenship or rodeo count. This year the 34th annual Canadian Finals Rodeo will be held in Edmonton from November 7-11, 2007. While most contestants who placed in the top two spots on the Tour this year may have been ranked high enough in the CPRA Standings to have clinched a spot at the Finals already, this was not the case for bareback rider Bobby Mote (Culvar, Ore). Although he’s currently fourth in the standings, he only has a rodeo count of five. Contestants need to have competed at a minimum of 15 CPRA sanctioned rodeos in order to qualify through the standings. The Tour, however, is solely points-based, and Mote’s number one spot has secured him a trip to the Finals. Bobby Mote will be joining Cimmaron Gerke (Brighton, CO) who has placed in the top two on the Tour for the second year in a row. In the saddle bronc event, Jesse Bail’s 85 point ride on Kesler Championship Rodeo’s world champion saddle bronc Cool Alley won him first place at Armstrong and bumped him up three spots in the Tour to the number one hole with 310 points. Right behind him in with 293.3 points is Dustin Flundra (Pincher Creek, AB) who is set to make his seventh appearance at the Canadian Finals in Edmonton. Tyler Thomson (Black Diamond, AB) and fellow bull rider Justin Volz (Marwayne, AB) are also pre-qualified for the Finals, as are tie-down ropers Steve Lloyd (Alix, AB) and Marty Becker (Edmonton, AB). It was a close race in the steer wrestling for the top two holes on the Tour. In the end, Jason Miller (Lance Creek, WY) took the lead with 327.5 points, followed closely by BJ Zieffle (Consort, AB) with 324.2 points. Barrel racer Sierra Stoney (DeWinton, AB) increased her breakaway lead in the Tour standings with a first place win at Armstrong that gave her a total of 352.5 points, 122.5 points ahead of Traci Dawson (Erskine, AB). This will be Stoney’s third consecutive trip to the CFR, while the number two spot in the Tour standings has pre-qualified Traci Dawson for her first appearance at the Finals in Edmonton. There are only three rodeos left on the 2007 schedule. They’ll be held in Hanna, Alta. (September 21-23), McCord, Sask. (September 28-29), and Saskatoon, Sask. (September 28-30). Here are the final 2007 Canadian Tour standings, the top two in each event will receive a Canadian Finals Rodeo berth: SADDLE BRONC 1 Jesse Bail, Belle Fourche, SD 310 2 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 293.3 3 Cody Taton, Newell, SD 290 4 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB 250 5 Rod Hay, Wildwood, AB 248.3 BAREBACK 1 Bobby Mote, Culvar, OR 335 2 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO 280 3 Travis Whiteside, Longview, AB 250 4 Davey Shields Jr., Bashaw, AB 240 5 Reid Rowan, Seven Persons, AB 215 BULL RIDING 1 Tyler Thomson, Black Diamond, AB 340 2 Justin Volz, Marwayne, AB 320 3 Cole Collins, Fort St John, BC 280 4 Denton Edge, Marwayne, AB 277.5 5 Quentin Schneider, Cawston, BC 270 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB 372.5 2 Marty Becker, Edmonton, AB 355 3 Dean Edge, Rimbey, AB 327.5 4 Chad Johnson, Del Bonita, AB 317.5 5 Matt Shiozawa, Chubbuck, ID 305 STEER WRESTLING 1 Jason Miller, Lance Creek, WY 327.5 2 BJ Zieffle, Consort, AB 324.2 3 Brock Butterfield, Ponoka, AB 290 4 Jessie Heggie, Raymond, AB 267.5 5 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 240 LADIES BARREL RACING 1 Sierra Stoney, DeWinton, AB 452.5 2 Traci Dawson, Erskine, AB 330 3 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB 320 4 Janet Moen, Stewart Valley, SK 300 5 Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD 272.5

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