Exciting First Night of Canadian Finals Rodeo Action
One night done. One box checked. One step closer.
For team roping phenoms, Kavis Drake on the heading side and his heeling partner Denim Ross, their 4.2 second first round win at CFR #51 inches them a little closer to a Canadian title, the second for Drake and a first for Ross.
The youthful tandem were last out in the team roping, by virtue of their finishing first in the regular season standings and they dazzled the Rogers Place faithful with a smooth 4.2 second run.
“We were the last team out,” Drake said. “We drew a great steer, just tried to catch him and it turned out to be fast.” Of his 2025 Heading Horse of the Year, the Moose Jaw, SK roper added, “Catfish made my throw really easy… this is his first CFR and the biggest stage he’s ever been on. I bought him this winter from Luke Skocdopole. With my other horse out (of action) I thought, well bud you’ve got to step up to the plate. We’re happy to have a good start and want to make the same run four more times.”
Second generation cowboy, Denim Ross (Botha, AB) was equally excited to get back to Rogers Place. “The energy was really high - very similar to last year. My horse, JP, worked great. I bought him from Justin Potts four years ago and rode him at my first CFR, my third and now this fourth finals as well.”
The pair had amassed over $45,000 heading to the CFR and their first round win puts another $11,400 in the coffers and extends their lead over the rest of the field.
While the team roping was all about the kids, rodeo’s veteran stars had their day in the sun as well. Five time Canadian Champion and four time World Champion bronc rider, Zeke Thurston was up to his old tricks as the Big Valley, Alberta veteran put together an 87.50 ride on Big Stone Rodeo’s Rubels to take home top honours in the bronc riding.
“Tonight was a lot of fun,” Thurston noted. “You’re always excited to come to a Finals; you work really hard all year to get here. And it’s fun to get it kicked if off and get it kicked off on a good note.” Thurston had met his arena partner a few times before. “That horse is probably pretty similar in age to myself. She’s been around for a long time; I don’t know how many times she’s been to the CFR and NFR,” he added. “They’ve won rounds on her all over the world. I’ve been on her three or four times before tonight. I was tickled to have her.”
Other veterans who cashed big cheques in the opening round of the CFR included Provost, Alberta’s Scott Guenthner who bulldogged his steer in a lightning fast 3.7 to extend his lead in the steer wrestling, Amisk, Alberta bull rider, Jordan Hansen who was an outstanding 86.5 points on the C5 Rodeo bull H58 Bench Warrant and Stettler tie-down roper Beau Cooper who blistered a 7.7 second run to claim top spot on the night in tie-down roping. Additional round winners were
Jenna Dallyn in breakaway roping with a 2.2 second run, barrel racer Jennifer Neudorf who smoked a run of 13.76 seconds in the barrel race while Montana bareback rider Sam Peterson continued to have the hot hand after his big performance at the Governor’s Cup event in Sioux Falls, SD. Peterson added the CFR round win with an 87.25 point ride on Duffy Rodeo’s 55 Reservation.
Dayton Cronkhite was the top junior steer rider on the night with a 76 point effort while the novice bareback win went to defending Champion Jace Lomheim (81.75 points on C5 Rodeos –44 Sesame Street) and Clay Greenslade marked 79.25 on Outlaw Buckers’ Z11 Canadian Trip in the novice bronc riding.
Round two of CFR 51 will take center stage at Rogers Place Thursday, Oct 2 with the grand entry kicking off the action at 6:30 pm.
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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 exceeding $7.4 million. The organization oversees the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Finale each fall in Armstrong, BC, holds their premiere event–the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR)–at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB in early October and endorses the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals 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