They handed out the big money in the sunshine in front of a capacity crowd during the 99th Calgary Stampede. While the majority of the honors went stateside, there were a few Canadian connections to the cash.
In the saddle bronc riding, South Dakota’s Chad Ferley claimed the $100,000 cheque for first place, but he made his sparkling 92.5 point ride on a Central Alberta horse. Northcott’s Get Smart was his draw, and the Caroline raised bronc was named best of the Stampede for the second straight year.
“That was my fourth time on that horse,” stated Ferley, also a World Champion. “But that was by far the best he’s ever been with me, and by far the best I’ve ever rode him. I won second in Ponoka just a couple weeks ago on him.
“That horse isn’t easy by any means. He’s not a very big horse, a little bay horse, and he is all heart. Like, he just tries his hardest out to throw you off. That’s the kind you want. That’s the kind you’re going to win on. I just happened to be the lucky guy today that stayed on him.”
But Ponoka’s own Luke Butterfield came within a whisker of the Calgary top payday himself in the saddle bronc riding. He made it to the final four by winning the afternoon round, with an 89 on Kesler’s Free Agent. Then in the Showdown round, the 26-year-old made a showy 90-point ride on the blue roan from the U.S. called Spring Planting. He picks up $25,000 for finishing second.
“I’m really happy,” stated Butterfield. “Yea, it would’ve been nice to win the hundred, but I’m happy for Chad. I didn’t see his ride, but they said he really stuck it on Get Smart.
“I’ll take second here for $25,000. I’m happy. It was a good bronc riding, they said. That’s the main deal. I’m just glad to be part of it.”
They’ll be celebrating in Cochrane this week, especially in the Milan family. The youngest of the three steer wrestling brothers, Straws, qualified for Calgary’s final Sunday through Wild Card Saturday, and did exactly what he needed to grab his spot in the Showdown round, winning Sunday afternoon in 3.5 seconds.
When it came to the final four, the 24-year-old watched a broken barrier and two no time runs before it was his turn. Then he went out in his first appearance in the Showdown round, and made it look easy, tossing his steer in 3.6 seconds, to grab the $100,000 cheque in his event.
“Wow is right,” Milan said, shaking his head in near disbelief moments after his winning run, and celebrating with both his brothers.
“After I threw my steer down, Tanner was running half way out there, and gave me a big hug, and Baillie was right behind him,” Milan said, his voice quivering with emotion. And it takes a lot to make the 5’10” cowboy weak in the knees.
“I don’t know what to say.”
But then Milan gathered his thoughts and looked back on his run.
“I knew I didn’t have to be fast, but I still knew I had to run out and get one caught, and tip him over. I wanted to have a good start. If you’re late and run one a long ways, stuff can go bad. I had a real good start. I knew that steer. I ran him in Ponoka last week, and he was a good steer. I knew that, and caught him, and Ijust really slowed down. It actually turned out to be good, and it was a lot faster than I thought it was.”
Milan rode the Cassidy horse Deuce, and Curtis Cassidy did the hazing for him.
“I could just see Curtis had him picked up, and shaped him right in there, and it was great.”
The thought of a single lump sum of $100,000 added to his bank account is a little overwhelming, so the cowboy had no immediate purchase plans.
“I’m not even sure what I’m going to do with it yet. I know I’m going to go rodeo hard. I’m entered up and going to go as many rodeos as I can. I’m sitting pretty good in the world standings. So that’s my goal, to try and get to the NFR this year. I’m going to go hard.”
There’s no better time to rodeo than when you’re on a roll.
Meanwhile it was a Cooper family affair in the tie-down roping, with brothers Tuf and Clif making up half of the final four. Clif was 8.6 seconds, but then the younger Tuf, who’s the current Canadian champion, came out and made a picture perfect run in just 6.3 seconds to tie an arena record for his event.
In a special nostalgic moment, Tuf brought his father, the legendary Roy Cooper, up with him on stage to accept the bronze and oversized cheque. The eight time world champion was understandably proud.
“It’s a father’s dream, to (have his boys) win first and second at the greatest rodeo in the world,” the senior Cooper stated. “I won this 15 years ago, and they were six and eight years old and they were up here with me. There’s nothing like walking up on that stage.”
“It was pretty exciting,” added Tuf. “I’m super blessed to do that. There’ll never be a perfect run. You know, you always want to be a perfectionist and keep trying to get better, but it was pretty exciting.”
In the barrel racing, Sydni Blanchard of New Mexcio completed a clean sweep, and took her horse Shotgun all the way to winning everything she could, including the $100,000 cheque.
Texan Clint Cannon was the bareback big winner, racking up 92 points on Kesler’s Street Dance in the Showdown, while Shane Proctor of North Caroline was 91 points on Calgary Bombs Away to win the bull riding $100,000.
Kelly Sutherland continued to add to his reputation for greatness in chuckwagon racing, as he dashed to his unprecedented 12th Stampede victory, edging out the sentimental favorite Reg Johnstone of Bashaw, who was the aggregate award winner for the week.
Scott Schiffner of Strathmore was given the Guy Weadick award for sportsmanship and representing the values of the Calgary Stampede.
Dianne Finstad is a regular contributor of the Red Deer Advocate and is the agriculture/rodeo director for Newcap Radio/CKGY/CIZZ FM in Red Deer.