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- Rodeo Recap: July 8-14th
Rodeo Recap: July 8-14th
The Calgary Stampede – Summer’s Biggest Rodeo - Sees Nail-biting Action in the Final Showdown, Pays out $50,000 to Winners
Sydney Butler
July 16, 2024
A bucket-list rodeo took place this week. A rodeo young cowboys and cowgirls dream of not just competing at, but taking the gold buckle home, engraved with their name next to the words, “champion.” The summer run is still in full swing and there were, of course, other major rodeos taking place in the last seven days, however, this week’s rodeo recap is also dreaming of the Calgary Stampede and highlights the winners of each event.
As the summer run continues, we’ll bring you the highlights of the previous week’s events, keeping you updated on the shuffle in standings and who brings the heat to summer’s biggest rodeos.
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Calgary Stampede | Calgary, Alberta - Total Payout: $1,850,000
There are only a handful of regular season rodeos with the power to uproot the world standings’ leaders or boost a contestant’s earnings by enough money that a trip to the NFR is all but inevitable.
Only one of those rodeos takes place smack-dab in the middle of the summer run: The Calgary Stampede. Infamous for its massive rodeo grounds, top-notch stock and legendary payouts, this year’s Calgary Stampede offered contestants a total payout of just under $2 million.
To earn their share of the massive payout, contestants must first make it to the Semifinals by competing in three rounds of one of three pools. From the semis, only four in each event qualify for the Finals where the number one seed pays $50,000.
Bareback: R.C. Landingham – 94 points on C5 Rodeo’s, Virgil
4x NFR qualififier and California Bareback rider, R.C. Landingham has had an impressive summer run thus far, winning the Reno Rodeo, Santa Maria Elks Rodeo, and covering C5 Rodeo’s, legendary 2x Bareback Horse of the Year, Virgil, in Red Bluff, California, for the rodeo win there.
After placing second, fifth, then second again in Pool B by scoring an 85.5, 83.5 and an 83, Landingham qualified for, then won the Semifinals with an 89.5-point ride on Calgary Stampede’s, Special Delivery. Then, it seems history were to repeat itself.
In the Final Four, Landingham again drew Virgil, this time covering the white powerhouse of a horse for an impressive 94 points. In total at Calgary, Landingham earned over $62,000. Landingham is currently 4th in the 2024 PRCA Bareback World Standings!
Steer Wrestling: Ty Erickson – 4.0 seconds
This year in Calgary, 8x NFR qualifier and Montana cowboy, Ty Erickson proved why he’s a former World Champion Steer Wrestler (2019).
Erickson was 4.5 seconds, then 5.7 and 6.4 in the first, second, then third rounds of Calgary’s Pool B. In the Semifinals, it was a three-way tie for first, Erickson splitting the win with 2017 World Champion Tyler Pearson and NFR qualifier Don Payne, all who finished in 4.5 seconds.
In the finals, Erickson came out on top with a four second flat run, the fourth fastest time of the entire rodeo. On top of his $50,000 winning check, Erickson’s total payout of the Stampede was over $60,000. Erickson is currently 4th in the 2024 PRCA Steer Wrestling Standings!
Saddle Bronc: Kade Bruno – 92 points on Mary Lou
The battle for the 2024 Calgary Stampede Saddle Bronc title started right away in Pool A. There, 4x World Champion and 9x NFR qualifier, Zeke Thurston won both the second and third round with an 85.5-point ride followed by an 88.5.
In Pool C, 2x NFR qualifier and Idaho cowboy, Kade Bruno tied for the win in the second round with a score of 87. The Semifinals saw Thurston go 91 points on Calgary Stampede’s, Erotic Tango for the win with Bruno hot on his spurs, scoring an 88.
Now in the Final Four Showdown, Thurston and Bruno tied for the lead, both scoring a 2024 rodeo-high 92 points and forcing a face-off between the two bronc riders. In the end, it was Bruno who rode Mary Lou for another 92 points and the rodeo win, outscoring Thurston’s 90.5. With the help of the $50,000 event-winning check, Bruno took home a total of over $64,000 from Calgary. Bruno is currently 2nd in the 2024 PRCA Saddle Bronc World Standings!
Tie-Down: Haven Meged – 6.7 seconds
T2019 World Champion Tie Down Roper and 5x NFR qualifier, Haven Meged started his Calgary Stampede in Pool B. After placing third, fifth then second, Meged qualified for the Semifinals alongside reigning World Champion Riley Webb. Meged won the semis after roping and tying in 6.9 seconds, the third-fastest time of the 2024 Stampede and three-tenths of a second faster than second.
Meged stepped it up in the Final Four and was even faster to win with a 6.7 second run, this time four-tenths faster than second place. All in, Meged won $61,500. Meged is currently 3rd in the 2024 PRCA Tie Down World Standings!
Fun Fact
The Calgary Stampede is the largest outdoor fair and rodeo in North America!
Barrel Racing: Leslie Smalygo – 16.940 seconds
It’s a name all who have been following Barrel Racing recognize, and this time, she takes her winning streak to Canada. NFR qualifier and Oklahoma cowgirl, Leslie Smalygo earned the 2024 Calgary Stampede Barrel Racing title after a wicked fast and impressive showing around the Stampede’s cloverleaf pattern.
Smalygo was up in Pool C with the likes of 4x World Champion Hailey Kinsel and 8x NFR qualifier Stevi Hillman. Smalygo was second in round one with a 17.08 behind Kinsel’s 16.94, won round two with a 17.06 then was second again after running a 17.14.
She then went on to race her fastest time of the rodeo thus far, placing second with a 16.99 second run, again behind Kinsel’s first place run clocke at 16.97. Finally in the Showdown, Smalygo overtook Kinsel and tied for the fastest time of the 2024 Stampede, winning with a 16.94 second run for $50,000; Kinsel was second with a 16.986. Smalygo would walk away from Calgary with $68,000 in winnings. Smalygo is unofficially 3rd in the 2024 WPRA Barrel Racing World Standings!
Bull Riding: Chase Dougherty & Jeff Askey
Bull Riding is tough, but in Calgary, riders are up against not only the best cowboys in the world, but bulls as well. This was true for NFR qualifier and Oregon bull rider Chase Dougherty and 6x NFR qualifier from Texas, Jeff Askey, both of whom were up in Pool C.
Dougherty placed first in round one, covering Wayne Vold Rodeo’s, Smoke Bomb for 87.5 points, followed by Askey who was second with an 86.5. Askey would place second two times more, first with an 86 followed by an 85.5-point ride. Despite placing fifth in the second round and a no-score in the third round, Dougherty qualified for the Semifinals alongside Askey.
Dougherty and Askey were the only two contestants to make a qualified ride in the semis, Dougherty winning the round with an 89 on Calgary Stampede’s, Sky Fall and Askey with an 82.
In the Final Four Showdown, the bulls won out – neither Dougherty nor Askey made a qualified ride, resulting in the two splitting the 2024 Calgary Stampede Bull Riding title. Dougherty is currently 3rd in the 2024 PRCA Bull Riding World Standings!
Calgary Stampede Team Roping & Breakaway Calgary, Alberta – Total Payout: $135,378
Team Roping: J.C. Yeahquo/Kollin VonAhn – 4.1 seconds
Team Roping at the Calgary Stampede is a beast all its own, taking place in just one day with a total payout of over $135,000.
North Dakota header J.C. Yeahquo has spent the 2023-24 ProRodeo season roping with heeler Buddy Hawkins II, however it was World Champion heeler and 5x NFR qualifier Kollin VonAhn who partnered with Yeahquo in Calgary. The pair roped for second place in round one after a speedy 4.1 seconds, tied for third in the second round with a 4.3 then were second again in round three after roping in 5.2 seconds.
In the Final Four Showdown, Yeahquo and VonAhn tied their fastest time of the 2024 Stampede, roping again in 4.1 seconds to win themselves a $12,500 check each. J.C Yeahquo is currently 3rd in the 2024 PRCA Team Roping Header World Standings, VonAhn is 10th in the 2024 PRCA Heeler World Standings!
Breakaway: Kelsie Domer – 2.0 seconds
Calgary Stampede’s Breakaway contest is three rounds and a Final Four Showdown in just one day, all with a prize of just under $90,000.
2x NFBR qualifier and Texas cowgirl, Kelsie Domer won a tidy handful of rodeos during 2023’s late summer run. This year, she’s competed in 33 rodeos, culminating – for now – in a win at the Calgary Stampede.
Domer was a tenth-of-a-second behind first place in round one, roping in 1.9 seconds. She was out of the money in round two, but came back to win the third round with a 1.8 second run.
Domer put her name in the Calgary Stampede history books with a wininng 2.0 seconds flat to win the Final Four Showdown two-tenths of a second faster than her runner-up for a check worth $12,500. Domer is unofficially 18th in the 2024 WPRA Breakaway World Standings!
Check back next week and each week thereafter for all the highlights on your favorite contestants as they work their way down the 2024 rodeo road.
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