It’s been nearly two decades since someone with the last name Robinson appeared in the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
On track to change that is 23-year-old Innisfail tie-down roper Ben Robinson.
Robinson jumped from 15th to sixth in the Grass Roots standings after a memorable performance at Oldstoberfest last weekend.
For the second year in a row, Robinson topped the field in Olds with an 8.2 second run to collect $1,783.65 and a spot in the Grass Roots Tour Final in Calgary from Sept. 27-28.
“I thought if I could tie one down in a short eight, I’d have a shot at the Grass Roots, and that was my goal,” Robinson said in a Canadian Professional Rodeo Association press release.
The Olds win pulled the Central Alberta native within $1,000 of the final qualifying berth for the CFR. If he is able to find a spot in the CFR, he would follow in the footsteps of his dad, Larry. Larry Robinson is a Canadian Professional Rodeo Hall of Famer and last competed in the CFR almost 20 years ago.
The CFR will be held in Central Alberta this year, at the Centrium from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.
“It’s really nice roping that close to home because I can take my horse home after the rodeo and it’s just like a regular day for him,” Ben told the CPRA.
Other Central Alberta competitors that will battle it out at the Grass Roots Final Sept. 27-28 in Calgary include Jim Berry (Rocky Mountain House, Saddle Bronc), Jacob Stemo (Bashaw, Bareback), Dylan Bilton (Red Deer County, Bareback), Cole Jamieson (Red Deer, Bareback), Austin Nash (Eckville, Bull Riding), Wacy Finkbeiner (Ponoka, Bull Riding), Clayton Smith (Eckville, Tie-Down Roping), Riley Warren (Stettler, Tie-Down Roping and Team Roping), Matt Richardson (Olds, Steer Wrestling), Shayna Weir (Ponoka, Barrel Racing), Diane Skocdopole (Big Valley, Barrel Racing) and Levi Simpson (Ponoka, Team Roping).
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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