There are times when the stars just align themselves and when it happens, there are often big smiles and, in the sport of rodeo, big dollars as well.
That’s kind of the way it was for Manitoba steer wrestler Joseph King at the 2026 edition of the Strathmore Stampede. Joe’s horse, Augie, who had worked well earlier with his brother, Charlie, aboard earlier in the Saturday afternoon round, seemed to react to the noise of the huge Strath more crowd, and when it came Joe’s turn, got a little anxious in the box.
That’s when Curtis Cassidy said to Joe, “Why don’t you just get go ahead and get on Tyson.” Joe accepted the offer and with Curtis doing the hazing, blistered a 3.5 second run on the celebrated gelding that has six times been Canada’s Steer Wrestling Horse of the Year to win the lucrative Strathmore rodeo stop and jump squarely into the CFR conversation. For King the win marked back to back Strathmore successes as one year ago he was part of a three-way split of first with Cassidy and Eli Lord. This time around the veterinarian was alone in top spot resulting in a $7,230 payday that will see him among the top six or seven when the standings are updated later in the week.
“I’d talked to Curtis earlier about riding Tyson but there were enough guys on Tyson already and it was hot so Curtis thought it might be best not to put an extra guy on him. But then when my horse wouldn’t back into the corner and walked through the barrier once, Curtis knew I had a really good steer and that’s when he said, you better get on Tyson and it sure worked out.”
What is already a busy schedule for King—he and his wife work together in a large vet clinic in Virden and run an indoor riding arena and boarding facility, while raising three kids—is about to get even crazier.
“Typically I work Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday, sometimes Thursday; then Charlie and I hit the road and depending on when we’re up, we’ll go most of the way and sometimes stay over night at Saskatoon or Lloydminster or if we’re going the south way maybe at Maple Creek. Then we rodeo all weekend and head back Sunday and get back usually pretty late on Sunday night and sometimes just in time to go to work Monday morning.
“And if you’re wondering if my wife gets sick of it, the answer’s yes.” Joe added with a chuckle. “She’s been really supportive and I’ve been chasing this dream of getting to the CFR for about eight years and we’re hoping this is the year.”
The packed King schedule is about to get even more complicated as this coming weekend as one of the kids is competing at the Canadian Junior High School Finals in Vermilion this weekend so there will be no La Crete or Dawson Creek for Joe. “I did enter Dawson and I could grab a truck and get there but it would mean missing about half of the Finals in Vermilion and I don’t want to do that.”
Add to that the Kings’ commitment to their hometown rodeo—the Virden Indoor Rodeo and Wildwest Days—that will keep Joe and his wife busy with the Junior and High School Rodeo followed by the CCA rodeo, all on the same weekend as Cranbrook and Pincher Creek. That means for King to bring that longtime CFR dream and goal to fruition, he’ll have to capitalize at a hand ful of remaining rodeos—Okotoks, Nanton, Merritt, Lethbridge and the Tour finale in Armstrong. “I’m hoping that’s going to be enough to solidify a spot in the CFR.”
It just might help if those stars were to align one more time.
Two event cowgirl, Kylie Whiteside, made a big splash at Strathmore. She and her horse, Piper (Rescue Mission) smoked a run of 17.33 seconds to take the top money--$7,379 and vault the veteran up in the standings from 28th place going into the weekend to among or near the top fifteen in Canada.
Whiteside, the first cowgirl to qualify for the CFR in two events, first as a barrel racer, then as a breakaway roper, purchased the mare as a three year-old, futuritied her, then rodeoed on her last year. “She was a little slower coming along then I would have preferred,” Whiteside admit ted, “but she seems to be figuring things out this year.”
Of her Strathmore run, the 26 year-old Longview, Alberta resident said, “Lately I’ve been getting in her way, so my goal with this run was just to stay out of her way and let her do her job. I just tried to keep it smooth and let her work.” That approach clearly worked well and allowed the former All Around Cowgirl to edge second place finisher, Austyn Tobey by just two one-hundredths of a second for the Strathmore title.
With just 11 events left of the CPRA calendar, a win at Strathmore is a huge boost for anyone hoping to catch a spot at the CFR October 7-10. But Whiteside is quick to note that getting to the Finals, while it would be nice, is not her focus. “It gives you hope for sure, but my goal is still the same—focus on run for run and barrel for barrel and try not to overthink things and see where it takes me.”
That focus also took her to the pay window at the High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo 17.73 for sixth and $779.73). As she and sister Bradi loaded up the trailer and set out for the Massey Ferguson Tour stops in La Crete and Dawson Creek, other barrel racers and fans alike will be keeping one eye on a talented second-generation cowgirl and her horse who could make things interesting over the final weeks of the regular season.
The Zeke Thurston Invitational Bronc Riding saw Kolby Wanchuk hitting the Winner’s Circle first with an 89.5 points gem on Big Stone Rodeo’s 7X Got Your Goat, for $6,545 in the long go; then the Stettler talent was a brilliant 93 points on Yule Rodeo’s 918 Suspicious Minds, for an additional $4,000.
Medicine Hat’s Tyler Popescul continued his quest for a first appearance at the CFR with a winning 9.0 second tie-down roping run and $2,344 at the Coronation Pro Rodeo that keeps him in the all-important top twelve in the standings as we roll into the final critical weeks of the 2026 campaign.
And breakaway roper Caitlyn Dahm enjoyed a very productive weekend, splitting top honours at the North Peace Stampede in Grimshaw with Payton Smith (2.1 seconds, $1,313.65 each), then adding a 3-5 split at Coronation with Danielle Wray and Bailey Smith (3.0, $1,184.40 each), and a 2-4 split with Katelyn Branden and Taya Haming (3.1, $3,210.57 each) that allows her to maintain a solid grasp on a fifth consecutive CFR appearance.
For complete unofficial results go to rodeocanada.com
About CPRA
The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with headquarters in Airdrie, Alta. is the official sanctioning body for Professional Rodeo in Canada. The CPRA approves 60+ events annually with a total payout just shy of $8 million. The organization oversees the Massey Ferguson Pro Tour Finale September 2-5 in Armstrong, BC, holds their premiere event–the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB October 7 10 and sanctions the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals November 25-28 as part of Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, SK. For details, please see RodeoCanada.com
For more information:
Barb Poulsen
CPRA Communications and Media
Phone: 403 625-9225
Email: media@rodeocanada.com