The 34th Annual Canadian Finals Rodeo Kicks off in Edmonton

Posted Thursday, November 8, 2007

The first performance of the 2007 Canadian Finals Rodeo busted out of the chutes in Edmonton, Alberta this evening in front of 12,665 energized and enthusiastic rodeo fans at Rexall Place. Total prize money of $1.158 million dollars up is up for grabs.

Only the best of the best compete in Canada�s largest indoor rodeo. There are 102 cowboys and cowgirls vying for Canadian titles in the six major events (saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and ladies barrel racing), team roping, as well as novice saddle bronc and novice bareback. The stakes are high and the excitement is electric. Dustin Flundra (Pincher Creek, AB), the 2003 Canadian Saddle Bronc Champion began his quest for a second gold buckle by winning the first performance of the 2007 Canadian Finals Rodeo with a score of 82.5 points on Kesler Rodeo Co's Seat Sale.

Consistency is the key. To jump out and get a start like this, especially when they started out with the eliminator pen like they did tonight. Everything will be a little bit nicer now until Saturday night when they bring them back out. It will be a lot more easy going and happy-go-lucky in there tomorrow night.

Another former Champion started off his Canadian Finals Rodeo with a win. Twenty-eight time qualifier and five-time Canadian Champion Cliff Williamson (Madden, AB) along with his horse Salty won the round in 7.8 seconds. Other winners during the first performance were: bareback rider Cimmaron Gerke (Brighton, CO) on Calgary Stampede�s Licorice Baby for 85 points; Tanner Milan (Cochrane, AB) and Jason Miller (Lance Creek, WY) tied in the steer wrestling event at 4.3 seconds; bull rider Cole Collins (Fort St. John, BC) was 87 points on Peters & Sons Rodeo Co.�s Little Hoya; Lindsay Sears (Nanton, AB) currently ranked second in the world standings ran the fastest cloverleaf pattern in 15.55 seconds; team roping saw two teams stop the clock at 4.8
seconds - Shane Schwenke (Harlem, MT) & Marty Becker (Edmonton, AB) and Daryn Knapp (Mayerthorpe, AB) & Dwight Wigemyr (Brooks, AB) share the lead in the team roping standings;

The Canadian Finals Rodeo runs through Sunday with performances at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as well as afternoon shows on Saturday and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Complete results are available online at www.rodeocanada.com and www.canadianfinalsrodeo.ca

CPRA Unofficial Rodeo Results
Results after first performance - November 7

SADDLE BRONC
1st Go-Round
1 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 82.5 $9,048
Kesler Rodeo Co.�s Seat Sale
2 Ben Morrow, Turner Valley, AB, 79.0 6,786
3 Jesse Bail, Belle Fourche, SD 76.5 4,524
4 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB 75.5 2,262
Championship Points
1 Dustin Flundra, Pincher Creek, AB 40
2 Ben Morrow, Turner Valley, AB 30
3 Jesse Bail, Belle Fourche, SD 20
4 Sam Kelts, Millarville, AB 10

Bareback
1st Go-Round
1 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO 85.0 $9,048
Calgary Stampede�s Licorice Baby
2-3 Kyle Bowers, Brooks, AB 82.5 5,655
2-3 Davey Shields Jr., Bashaw, AB 82.5 5,655
4 Reid Rowan, Seven Persons, AB 80.5 1,131
4 Travis Whiteside, Longview, AB 80.5 1,131
Championship Points
1 Cimmaron Gerke, Brighton, CO 40
2-3 Kyle Bowers, Brooks, AB 25
2-3 Davey Shields Jr., Bashaw, AB 25
4 Reid Rowan, Seven Persons, AB 5
4 Travis Whiteside, Longview, AB 5

Bull Riding
1st Go-Round
1 Cole Collins, Ft. St. John, BC 87.0 $9,048
Peters and Sons Rodeo Co.�s Little Hoya
2 Beau Hill, West Glacier, MT 86.0 6,786
3 Nathan Roy, Lloydminster, SK 85.0 4,524
4 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB 84.0 2,262
Championship Points
1 Cole Collins, Ft. St. John, BC 40
2 Beau Hill, West Glacier, MT 30
3 Nathan Roy, Lloydminster, SK 20
4 Brett Thompson, Medicine Hat, AB 10

Tie-Down Roping
1st Go-Round
1 Cliff Williamson, Madden, AB 7.8 $9,048
2 Dean Edge, Rimbey, AB 8.5 6786
3 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB 9.5 4,524
4 Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, UT 9.8 2,262
Championship Points
1 Cliff Williamson, Madden, AB 40
2 Dean Edge, Rimbey, AB 30
3 Steve Lloyd, Alix, AB 20
4 Clint Robinson, Spanish Fork, UT 10

Steer Wrestling
1st Go-Round
1-2 Tanner Milan, Cochrane, AB 4.3 $7,917
1-2 Jason Miller, Lance Creek, WY 4.3 7,917
3 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 4.5 4,524
4 Todd Woodward, Magrath, AB 4.7 1,131
4 BJ Zieffle, Consort, AB 4.7 1,131
Championship Points
1-2 Tanner Milan, Cochrane, AB 35
1-2 Jason Miller, Lance Creek, WY 35
3 Curtis Cassidy, Donalda, AB 20
4 Todd Woodward, Magrath, AB 5
4 BJ Zieffle, Consort, AB 5

Ladies Barrel Racing
1st Go-Round
1 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB 15.55 $9,048
2 Maria Gee, Stanford, MT 15.57 6,786
3 Sierra Stoney, DeWinton, AB 15.71 4,524
4 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB 15.79 2,262
Championship Points
1 Lindsay Sears, Nanton, AB 40
2 Maria Gee, Stanford, MT 30
3 Sierra Stoney, DeWinton, AB 20
4 Rayel Robinson, Alix, AB 10

Team Roping
1st Go-Round
1-2 Shane Schwenke, Harlem, MT 4.8 $3,958
Marty Becker, Edmonton, AB 4.8 3,958
1-2 Daryn Knapp, Mayerthorpe, AB 4.8 3,958
Dwight Wigemyr, Brooks, AB 4.8 3,958
3 Delon Parker, Billings, MT 5.4 2,262
Sid Sporer, Cody, WY 5.4 2,262
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 5.6 1,131
Wayne Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 5.6 1,131
Championship Points
1-2 Shane Schwenke, Harlem, MT 35
Marty Becker, Edmonton, AB
1-2 Daryn Knapp, Mayerthorpe, AB 35
Dwight Wigemyr, Brooks, AB
3 Delon Parker, Billings, MT 20
Sid Sporer, Cody, WY
4 Dale Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB 10
Wayne Skocdopole, Big Valley, AB

Novice Saddle Bronc
1st Go-Round
1 Jeremy Russell, Nanton, AB 69.0 $1,200
Championship Points
1 Jeremy Russell, Nanton, AB 60

Novice Bareback
1st Go-Round
1-2 Jake Vold, Ponoka, AB 72.0 $1,000
1-2 Cash Kerner, Pritchard, BC 72.0 $1,000
Championship Points
1-2 Jake Vold, Ponoka, AB 50
1-2 Cash Kerner, Pritchard, BC 50