Zeke Thurston Turns Slow Start into Career Best Regular Season
As Zeke Thurston pursues his seventh consecutive Canadian title, you wouldn’t expect him to describe any part of the best regular season in his storied career as “slow”. However, that was how the Big Valley cowboy described the start of 2026, with his name appearing a handful of times in the CPRA results through late June.
Like it often does, his season took off during Cowboy Christmas, when he noted that “Ponoka got the ball rolling” in claiming the Stampede’s aggregate title before a second-place finish in the Showdown round added over $20,000 to his pockets. His Hardgrass Bronc Match victory in Pollockville later that month nearly equaled his Ponoka payday, with the two events accounting for more than half of his remarkable $72,526 season total.
A strong August with notable victories in Dawson Creek, BC and Lethbridge, AB propelled the four-time World Champion to the top of the Canadian standings. In wrapping up the month with his first Xtreme Broncs Finals south of the border, he also vaulted into the top five in the PRCA world standings, and after another strong performance during the PRCA’s final weekend finds himself in second place heading into Las Vegas in December.
He continues his quest for more year end accolades to add to his illustrious resume, while maintaining a relatively limited rodeo schedule that allows him to show up at his best, both in and out of the arena.
“I could go to 30 more rodeos in a year, but I’ve got 4 kids and a lot going on at home.”
Thurston’s evening in Pollockville offered a glimpse into how he balances his family life alongside his pursuit of excellence in the sport. Before the championship round, his son Hardy delivered a fan-favourite bucking pony ride that brought the crowd to its feet. Nobody cheered louder than the proud dad while he ran alongside the action.
Despite Thurston’s remarkable season, he needed every dollar to edge past Canada’s rising bronc riding star, Q Taylor. Unlike Thurston, Taylor got off to a torrid start, claiming victories just four days apart at the June bronc matches in Gleichen and Wildwood. He further strengthened his position by sweeping both the Finals and Showdown rounds on Canada Day at Ponoka, earning nearly $19,000.
During the season’s final weekend, runner-up finishes at Langley, BC, and the final round of the Massey Ferguson Tour Finals almost nudged the Parkland, AB bronc rider back to the top, with Thurston earning enough to maintain his spot. Taylor’s season continues to prove
that his breakout 2025 campaign was no fluke after strong debut appearances at the CFR and NFR announced his arrival among the event’s best.
Taylor finds himself entering Rogers Place less than $3,400 behind Thurston, with Kolby Wanchuk also within one go-round victory of the lead. Beyond the top three contenders, the veteran-laden field features three more former NFR qualifiers in Ben Andersen, Kole Ashbacher and Layton Green, with Kolby’s younger brother Kyle the lone rookie. Green stands as the only former Canadian champion on the roster besides Thurston, but every bronc rider will arrive in Edmonton determined to end Thurston’s title streak. Championships are earned, not given, and the reigning champion knows as well as anyone what it takes to claim another.