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CBC
2 days ago
- Sport
- CBC
Breakaway roping, steer wrestling among rodeo titles won by Albertans at Stampede
Shelby Boisjoli-Meged will go down in the history books as the inaugural winner of the breakaway roping competition at the Calgary Stampede rodeo. Boisjoli-Meged was one of three Albertans who won championship titles on Showdown Sunday. "It's been a crazy 24 hours," said Boisjoli-Meged, who won in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Saturday. "I've been extremely blessed. It's unbelievable. Last night I won the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust [Rodeo] and then coming here today and winning the Calgary Stampede, this is the biggest week I've ever had in my life." As the first breakaway roper out of the gates in the final round, Boisjoli-Meged 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. "Having my family all here watching me, it's the best feeling in the world," said Boisjoli-Meged, whose husband Haven Meged of Miles City, Mont., won the tie-down roping title in Calgary last year. "He wasn't able to compete this year due to an injury, so it kind of sucked not having him [compete] here, but getting the win and having him here in the box with me was awesome." Saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston of Big Valley and steer wrestler Scott Guenthner of Provost also finished first in their events to take home the winner's share of $50,000. 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. "My hat's off to that horse," Thurston said. "That's a once in a lifetime kind of animal and to be able to get on him a couple of times like I have is very special, so you really cherish those moments and that's a very cool animal." 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. "It's still surreal," he said. "I still can't believe I won the first time, let alone now." 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 that is presented annually to the rodeo or chuckwagon competitor who best embodies the cowboy spirit and typifies the spirit of the Calgary Stampede. "It was a big shock the first time, and then to go up [on stage] twice, it's a big day," Guenthner said. "I mean it's a dream come true to win Calgary and then on top of it to win that award, it's such an honour." 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). "It's so special to win this rodeo especially because my dad [Sylvester] won it 40 years ago," Mayfield said. "I've come to this rodeo six times now and I've never had just the best of luck here. Just to come here this time and get the win, I'm truly blessed." Thanks to his 94-point ride atop Disco Party, Cooper Cooke of Victor, Idaho, won the bareback event. "I'm just so excited," Cooke said. "My parents got to come up to Calgary today and they got to watch me and that's probably the most meaningful win I've ever had, especially because my family was there to watch it." Weston Timberman of Columbus, Mont., finished a close second after his 92-point performance on Agent Lynx. Aboard her horse Rico, 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. "I think he loves the crowd and I'm going to keep running him in these big rodeos," Ellis said. "He did great." 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. "I haven't felt a feeling like that yet," said Schalla of his accomplishment. "One of the most legendary rodeos and to end up on top is a thrill." Grady Young of Leader, Sask., and Trey Benton III of Richards, Texas, earned $15,000 each even though they were bucked off their bulls. Later in the evening, chuckwagon driver Chanse Vigen of Calgary won his first Rangeland Derby title by beating defending champion Jason Glass across the finish line in a time of 1:11.24. For his efforts, Vigen won $50,000 and a new GMC truck, while Glass, of High River, Alta., took home $20,000 for his second-place showing. Jamie Laboucane of St. Walburg, Sask., had to settle for third and a cheque for $10,000.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
RODEO NOTES, Day 3: Shelby Boisjoi-Meged lighting quick in victory
The local cowgirl has done her city, province and country proud … Again. Two days after making history with the first-ever breakaway roping go-round win at the Calgary Stampede main rodeo, Shelby Boisjoi-Meged, of Langdon, Alta., was a second-time day-money victor. Her lightning-quick 2.6-second time Sunday afternoon shoots her through to Showdown Sunday as the top qualifier over the first three days of the Stampede show. Boisjoi-Meged will be joined from Pool A by Colorado's Kinlie Brennise and Oklahoma's Cheyanne McCartney. The 1-2-3 qualifiers respectively wrapped up $14,500, $14,375 and $9,750. The only other Albertan — and Canadian — to advance through to Showdown Sunday among the 21 Pool A rodeo finalists was Stampede veteran Scott Guenthner. The Provost cowboy was king of bull-doggers in Pool A with $18,000 pocketed from the three rounds. Included in the massive money haul was his second-place $5,500 payday picked up Sunday, after he timed in at 4.7 seconds. The day-money winner ahead of Guenthner was Justin Shaffer, with a 4.3-second run. With that victory, Shaffer snuck into third spot in the three-day aggregate. His $10,250 collection joins Guenthner and Florida's Kyle Irwin as the Pool A steer-wrestling qualifiers for Showdown Sunday. Guenthner was the Stampede champ in 2023, while 'Alabama Slammer' Irwin was the king in 2019. Cole Franks is off to Showdown Sunday … Again. But he wants more from the final day than what has transpired the last two years. 'I have yet to make the short-round here (on Showdown Sunday) — that one's eluding me still,' said the Texas bareback artist. 'I've been one hole out and two holes out (the last two years). 'I've been really close, but this year is going to be the year.' Franks secured his spot Sunday with a 79.5-point effort on Erotic Tango, good enough for a sixth-place draw, a $500 pay-hole and the $13,000 top-spot aggregate in bareback. With the day-money win Sunday, Louisiana's Waylon Bourgeois — on an 88-point ride aboard Expose Not — advanced alongside Franks out of Pool A to Showdown Sunday. As did young Mason Stuller, a 21-year-old Oregon bareback artist, who was second Sunday with an 87.5 score on Welcome Delivery. Bourgeois and Stuller advanced with $12,875 and $12,500, respectively. Lefty Holman's go-round win Sunday — his second-ever at the Stampede —vaulted him onto Showdown Sunday. The California cowboy is always in the mix in Calgary, and he's off to the championship day this year with $18,000 from Pool A competition. His Sunday effort of 89.5 points aboard feisty Crocket was among the best scores of the week in any event. Joining Holman in a trip to Showdown Sunday from Pool A is Wyoming's Brody Cress, with $17,000, and Kansas' Weston Patterson, with $14,750. In a case of 1-2-3 finishes to grab the 1-2-3 qualifiers for the finale, it was Cress with a runner-up 89.0 ride on Urgent Delivery and Patterson aboard Come Along for 88 points and third in the Day 3 payouts. Cress won in 2021. Hayes Weight also made Showdown Sunday weight with his eight-second winning ride on Day 3. The Utah bull rider was brilliant aboard Judge and Jury, securing 86.5 points and the $7,000 first-place prize to shoot into the finale with $12,250. Only JR Stratford, of Byers, Kansas, pocketed more cash after Saturday's monster take-home pay of all the money — $23,250 — and a three-day total of $29,500. Weight and Stratford are joined by Idaho's Tristen Hutchings in moving onward to the championship day. Hutchings earned $8,750 in Pool A competition. Texas tie-down talent John Douch clinched his berth from Pool A into Championship Sunday with a second-place run on Day 3. His 7.5-second time was a shade slower than the day-money winner, Shane Smith of Wimborne, Alta., in 7.1. But his $17,500 aggregate dwarfed the rest of the field, with Nebraska's Riley Pruitt and New Mexico veteran Shad Mayfield finishing second — with $10,875 — and third — $8,875 — also thrusting through from Pool A to Championship Sunday. What a week for barrel racer Anita Ellis, who not only won all three runs in Pool A competition for a whopping $21,000 but takes home the Stampede record for her sparkling 16.79-second effort Sunday. The Idaho cowgirl was already through to Championship Sunday with performances on the first two days — both sub-17 — so she went with a younger horse than her usual trusty mount, Axe, and Rico surprised all with the new standard. The second-place ride put up by Oklahoma's Emily Beisel on Day 3 — 16.84 — also bettered the previous record of 16.86 put up Kassie Mowry in 2022. What a day for Alberta's Quaide Skjonsberg, who put up the ride of his young life in novice bareback to take the 2025 Calgary Stampede crown in that event. The kid from Bluffton rode General Lynx to an eye-popping 86.5 score and eked out the championship by a single point — in the three-day pool aggregate — over Texas talent Kash Loyd … Pool B begins its three-day rodeo run Monday at GMC Stadium (1:30 p.m.). tsaelhof@ X: @ToddSaelhofPM READY FOR MORE STAMPEDE CONTENT? CHECK OUT THESE 2025 CALGARY STAMPEDE FEATURES: Guide to the Calgary Stampede: What you need to know Calgary Stampede Rodeo 101: The ultimate guide whether it's your 1st or 101st rodeo Chuckwagon racing 101: What you need to know before heading to the races at Calgary Stampede Still the One: Shania Twain arrives in Calgary while in the midst of a career reinvention Is the Calgary Stampede the greatest music festival in the West? Cowgirl grit: More women than ever at the Calgary Stampede rodeo A grand vision: How the Calgary Stampede came to be the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth How have Calgary Stampede posters changed? Here's a look back at 100-plus years of them You want fireworks? We've got fireworks! A look at a few of our favourite pix of Stampede pyrotechnics from the past few years
