Round Seven Pivotal for Canadians
Nobody enjoyed the Wednesday night seventh round of the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo any more than the Brothers Graham—Dawson and Dillon, team ropers extraordinaire from Wainwright, Alberta.
The 2022 Canadian champions, competing at their first NFR, blazed their way to the round win with a 3.5 second textbook run that earned each roper the top prize - $36,668 each. It was the tandem’s second round win and they also have a second place to their credit for $87,925 in earnings to date. Despite a couple of hiccups–an earlier round crossfire call and a one heel catch that turned a record-tying 3.3 into 8.3 seconds–it’s been a tremendous first NFR appearance for the talented duo.
The other Canadian connection in the team roping, Barrhead, Alberta cowboy Kolton Schmidt and his American partner, Jonathan Torres put up a 5.0 second run. That was out of the money for the round but moved the team to second place in the aggregate and third in the world with a shot at a world title very much out there as the Finals moves into its last three days.
Another Canadian who has his sites set on the gold buckle is Canada’s Zeke Thurston who rode the outstanding Calgary Stampede bronc, Y-38 Yesterday’s Delivery to an 88.5 pointer for a 2-3 split with the accompanying $25,431 payday. The Big Valley, Alberta legend has moved to number one in the all-important aggregate and 3rd in the world standings but Statler Wright with back-to-back round wins is in hot pursuit.
Julie Plourde, the first French Canadian cowgirl to compete in the barrel racing at the NFR has been having a solid week after replacing the injured Anita Ellis. The Quebec talent, who now makes her home in Krum, Texas, won a fifth-place cheque for $9463 courtesy of a 13.65, a solid run on a night when several barrels, and one cowgirl, hit the ground. Plourde also finds herself in second place in the aggregate with a shot at a huge cheque if she can hold that spot.
In tie-down roping, Texan, Joel Harris and Peso, the four-legged superstar belonging to Canadian, Logan Bird, made it back-to-back go round wins, this time with a 7.5 second effort for the victory lap. The win, Peso’s seventh career trip to the winner’s circle at the Thomas and Mack. Harris, despite a costly no-time in the 4th round has battled his way back to 7th in the aggregate and 3rd in the world standings, And Brushton Minton, the California roper, has been consistent and now sits fifth in the average while riding another horse from north of the 49th parallel—Lincoln, owned by Medicine Hat, Alberta hand, Tyler Popescul.
In the bull riding only two bulls were ridden. One that wasn’t was Nansen Vold's uber-electric Splash Tide bucking under the Wayne Vold Rodeo banner; he was on his game, dispatching world champion, Ky Hamilton in relatively short order.
For complete WNFR results, visit www.prorodeo.com
For more information:
Barb Poulsen
CPRA Communications and Media
Phone: 403 625-9225
Email: media@rodeocanada.com