Rodeo winners' circle filled with Albertans at Stampede

Hamilton Spectator

7 days ago

CALGARY - Albertans won three of seven events at the Calgary Stampede rodeo on Showdown Sunday.
Breakaway roper Shelby Boisjoli-Meged of Langdon, saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, and steer wrestler Scott Guenthner of Provost all finished first in their events to take home the winner's share of $50,000.
Boisjoli-Meged will go down in the Stampede history books as the inaugural winner of the breakaway roping event.
As the first competitor out of the gates in the final round, she set the standard of 2.2 seconds that Texans Hali Williams (12.2) and Bradi Good (12.5) weren't able to beat as they were both penalized 10 seconds for breaking the starting barrier.
Thurston added his fourth Stampede title to the three others he won consecutively from 2015 to 2017. He scored 92.5 points atop Virgil in the final round to beat fellow Albertan Dawson Hay of Wildwood for the top prize.
Hay, the 2023 Stampede champion, celebrated his 28th birthday by earning $20,000 for finishing second after a 90-point performance on Yesterday's Delivery.
Meanwhile, Guenthner added his second Stampede title to the one he won in 2023.
Guenthner posted a time of 3.7 seconds in the final round to beat the clocking of 4.1 that 2022 Stampede champion Will Lummus of Byhalia, Miss., set earlier.
Shortly before winning the steer wresting event, Guenthner also went up to the stage in front of the fans at GMC Stadium to accept the prestigious Guy Weadick Award, which is presented annually to the rodeo or chuckwagon competitor who best embodies the cowboy spirit and typifies the spirit of the Calgary Stampede.
Nine competitors in each of the seven events qualified to compete on Sunday and only the top three from the first go-round advanced to the finals. The winner of each event was awarded $50,000, while the second- and third-place finishers received $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Shad Mayfield of Clovis, N.M., won the tie-down roping title in a time of 6.8 seconds to edge out Tom Crouse of Gallatin, Mo. (7.3).
Thanks to his 94-point ride atop Disco Party, Cooper Cooke of Victor, Idaho, won the bareback event. Weston Timberman of Columbus, Mont., finished a close second after his 92-point performance on Agent Lynx.
Anita Ellis of Blackfoot, Idaho, won the barrel racing championship in a time of 16.956 seconds to edge out 2022 Stampede champion Kassie Mowry of Dublin, Texas, by .189 seconds for top spot.
Wacey Schalla of Arapaho, Okla., was the lone bull rider to stay on for eight seconds in the final round. His score of 86 points atop Haunted Hotel earned him a $50,000 payday. Grady Young of Leader, Sask., and Trey Benton III of Richards, Texas, earned $15,000 each even though they were bucked off their bulls.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2025.