Texans compete with heavy hearts at Calgary Stampede after devastating flood back home
A serious flood over the Fourth of July weekend in Texas is weighing heavily on the hearts of rodeo competitors from the Lone Star State.
Article content
Especially those currently participating at the Calgary Stampede.
Article content
The flooding has been especially tough for the Harris brothers, Ty and Joel, who hail from San Angelo and are competing in the tie-down roping event at this year's 'Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth'.
Article content
Article content
San Angelo is one of several areas in Central Texas that have been severely impacted by the floods.
Article content
Article content
'It's very, very difficult. My wife and I were watching the flooding all day yesterday, and it just affects you emotionally,' Joel Harris said on Monday.
Article content
'You realize that rodeo isn't the most important thing. Coming out here and competing really puts things into perspective — people in Texas are going through a really hard time.
Article content
'We have friends whose homes have flooded, and I know that many lives have been lost. I'm thankful my family has been safe through it all, and we are praying for those truly affected by the flood.'
Article content
The top four spots in the tie-down roping event on Monday were all claimed by Texans: Ty Harris took top honours, followed by Cash Hooper in second, Riley Webb in third, and Joel Harris rounding out the top four.
Article content
Ty Harris was able to briefly put the flooding out of his mind as he raced to 6.7-second clocking, earning $7,000 on the first afternoon of Pool B competition.
Article content
Article content
'I think about my roping three, four, maybe five minutes before I rope — then I rope, and it's off my mind,' said the 27-year-old cowboy.
Article content
'I was thinking about the flooding as I was coming up here today, but I think we're pretty used to having to block things out. It's always something — not always as catastrophic as this, not people losing their lives — but always something we deal with mentally.'
Article content
The severe flooding in Texas has tragically left more than 100 people dead.
Article content
Article content
Ty plans to donate 10 per cent of his winnings to families affected by the disaster.
Article content
'You feel helpless being here while everyone's back there. You're just calling family, grateful to hear they're safe,' he added.
Article content
According to police in San Angelo, more than 12,000 houses, barns, and other structures have been affected in the city of approximately 100,000 people.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Calgary Herald
Consistency pays off as Rae Croteau Jr. pushes toward his first world chuckwagon racing title
Rae Croteau Jr. drives to the finish in Heat 8 of the Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races at the Calgary Stampede on July 12, 2025. Photo by Mike Drew / Postmedia Rae Croteau Jr. has been keeping his barrels upright all season. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Calgary Herald ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors That's a winning strategy in chuckwagon racing. But 'leaving them standing' is not so great on the alley. Croteau took advantage of a rare break in the World Professional Chuckwagon Association schedule to take his family and barn crew bowling in Olds, Alta. The champion had yet to be crowned, but the 43-year-old driver could tell who was going to be lifting the five-pin hardware. 'Not me,' Croteau said with a laugh. 'My oldest daughter (Cora Lynn) likes it quite a bit, which was kind of a surprise to me. Your weekday lunchtime roundup of curated links, news highlights, analysis and features. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again 'The rest of us are eating hotdogs, wingin' balls and having fun.' At the end of a largely successful Calgary Stampede, Croteau put the horses out in pasture for some rest and relaxation at his daughter's place just outside of Sundre, Alta. And then the whole crew settled down for a 10-day breather before the wagons roll into High River for the Battle of the Foothills, which runs Thursday through Sunday. Croteau is anxious to get back on the track. 'With Ponoka and Calgary, there were 16 races over 18 nights,' he says. 'It's funny how your body becomes accustomed to the grind and adrenaline and competition. 'You think 'I'm looking forward to a break for me and the crew and the horses.' But then we got settled (by Sundre) and two three days go by and we're all bored. 'You miss the racing and the competition, and the horses are feeling pretty good, running around, bucking and playing. So you know it's on their minds as well.' There's another reason the Rapid View, Sask. reinsman is eager to get back to work. He's sitting No. 1 in the WPCA standings with as deep a stable of horses as he's had in years. 'It's been steady,' Croteau said. 'We've been rotating through the herd. We've been getting new horses into races and just trying to stay competitive. 'It's just consistency. Maybe over the past few years, we didn't have the best outfits, but maybe you make the least (amount of) errors. We also had some new horses that have jumped in and made a difference. 'That's the biggest thing over the past two years. Making the least errors, and then breaking new horses and getting them to work.' Costly outriding penalties kept Croteau out of the Ponoka Stampede's Tommy Dorchester Dash For Cash, and then again at last week's Rangeland Derby Dash For Cash, where he was forced to settle for fourth, just 2.16 seconds out of the third and final qualifying spot.
Winnipeg Free Press
7 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Texas Fury Texans and Jaguars Elite win titles at NFL Flag Championships
CANTON, Ohio (AP) — The Texas Fury Texans and Jaguars Elite won titles in the NFL Flag Championships on Sunday. The Texans beat the Bad Rabbits Cowboys 19-0 to win the High School Girls division. The Jaguars beat Showtime 13-0 to take the 14U Boys championship. Emery Beckett completed all eight of her pass attempts in the title game for the Texans, throwing two touchdown passes to Zahra Hill and one to Kelsey Quinn. Their coach, Keenan Hughes, was recently hired as the first coach for the women's flag football team at Concordia University in Austin, Texas. The Jaguars were led by tournament MVP Brysen Wright, whose one-handed catch earlier in the event drew an incredulous social media response from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. The 14-year-old Wright scored 10 touchdowns in seven games. 'It's a fast-paced, exciting and explosive game,' Jaguars coach David Price said. 'I think guys like Brysen are really going to help get more eyes on the sport.' ___ AP NFL:
Toronto Star
20-07-2025
- Toronto Star
What to know as Texas' search for flood victims stretches into a third week
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The number of people still missing in a Texas county ravaged by deadly flooding over the Fourth of July holiday weekend now stands at three, down from nearly 100. The announcement Saturday by Kerr County that the list of missing has shrunk came after people who were previously reported missing have since been accounted for and as state lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities' initial response and the possible improvements to warning systems. Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County, about 60 miles (100 kilometers) northwest of San Antonio. The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry, dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.
