One-two-three finish by local cowboys puts home province in prime position for championship bronze
Saddle up, Alberta.
Get ready to cheer on the home-grown boys on Showdown Sunday at the Calgary Stampede.
At least that’s the case in saddle bronc, with five Albertans — and counting — slated to ride for the championship bronze and the $50,000 king’s cheque.
“Yeah … everybody’s doing good,” said Lucas Macza, praising the efforts of himself and the Alberta contingent in bronc riding.
“It’s awesome to be here with all my buddies and be able to make it to Sunday,” continued Macza. “It’s unreal.”
In particular, Macza is moving on to the championship day after Wednesday’s big day for Albertans in rodeo’s original event.
The High River cowboy rode to 85.5 points aboard Zorta Proud and was matched by Duffield’s Dawson Dahm after his trip on Elvira.
Those scores proved good enough to finish second behind Wyoming’s Brody Wells, who mounted Little Muffin and spurred out a spectacular 88 for $7,000.
But more importantly, travelling partners Macza and Dahm each pocketed $5,000 for their performances to move them on to Showdown Sunday with three-day totals of $11,500 and $10,500 respectively.
They join another Albertan in Kolby Wanchuk, of Sherwood Park — the top bronc rider of Pool B with $13,250 — and Wells — on $8,000.
“Kolby, you can hardly beat him,” Macza said. “We’ve got to go hide his saddle on him or something.
“He’s too good.”
Indeed, Wanchuk won Tuesday’s go-round after tying for first Monday to move through with the most money among Pool B participants.
With Macza and Dahm following him, that made it a 1-2-3 day atop the three-day aggregate for Alberta.
And all that comes after Pool A produced two other Alberta bronc riders for Showdown Sunday.
Included is the other travelling pal of Macza and Dahm in Millarville’s Layton Green.
“Yeah … he’ll be there on Sunday, as well,” confirmed Macza of Green’s $9,667 effort earlier in Stampede week.
“We help out everybody, but … shoot … we all travel together,” continued the 27-year-old local. “You could say we’re a little closer to each other.
“But we don’t distance ourselves from any bronc rider. Everybody needs help, and everybody’s willing to help you. Everybody’s on everybody’s team in the locker room. Everybody wants to see you do good just as much as they want to do good themselves.”
The other Albertan having already clinched his spot in Showdown Sunday is, of course, three-time Stampede champ Zeke Thurston, of Big Valley.
The big-time bronc rider won two of Pool A’s three go-rounds to lead the parade of six Albertans — so far — into the championship day.
“It’s super hard to make that happen, because there’s so many good bronc riders and the horses are so good here,” Macza said. “It’s like you never know. It’s just whatever day you’re having at that time. You just kind of got to go with the flow, because you never know what’s happening.”
The flow was all Alberta on Wednesday, for sure.
And Thursday marks the start of Pool C, with more Albertans — including Eckville’s Ben Andersen, Wildwood’s Logan Hay and brother Dawson Hay, the defending Stampede champ — looking to ride the tide and stream their way in saddle bronc to Showdown Sunday.
“The electricity on the Sunday? It’s unreal,” added Macza, who finished one slot shy of the final four — matching Thurston — during last year’s championship day. “Your mind is going a mile a minute. I probably had about 17 nervous pees last year before I got on. So the nerves are there, but it’s awesome.
“Hopefully I can ride a little better on Sunday. The horsepower’s always there. It’s just there’s fundamentals you have to do and little mistakes cost a guy. You just have to try to limit the mistakes. But you can’t overthink it.
“Pluck away a little better and ride whatever horse you get. They’re going to be so good on Sunday, and everybody rides so good. You’ve just got to do your part and, hopefully, be in the top four.”
CALGARY STAMPEDE
BAREBACK
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Tanner Aus (Granite Falls, Min.), Snap Chat (re-ride), 84.o points, $7,000;2. RC Landingham (Castle, Calif.), Oh Blah Di, 83.5, $5,500;3. Richmond Champion (Stevensville, Mont.), Blue Wings, 82.5, $4,500; 4. Bradlee Miller (Huntsville, Texas), Zip Code, 81.5, $3,250; 5. Ty Taypotat (Nanton, Alta.), Blue Moon, 79.0, $2,000; 6. Taylor Broussard (Estherwood, La.), Mexican Tattoo, 76.0 $1,000; 7. Rocker Steiner (Weatherford, Texas), Rizz Up, 64.5, $0; 8. Cooper Cooke (Victor, Idaho), One More Reason, Double Grab, $0; 8. Brayze Schill (West Columbia, Texas), Winning Rose, BO, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. RC Landingham (Castle, Calif.), $12,500; 1. Richmond Champion (Stevensville, Mont.), $12,500; 3. Taylor Broussard (Estherwood, La.), $11,500; 4. Rocker Steiner (Weatherford, Texas), $10,250; 5. Tanner Aus (Granite Falls, Min.), $9,000; 6. Bradlee Miller (Huntsville, Texas), $7,750; 7. Cooper Cooke (Victor, Idaho), $4,250; 8. Ty Taypotat (Nanton, Alta.), $2,000; 9. Brayze Schill (West Columbia, Texas), $0.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday
BARREL RACING
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Carlee Otero (Perrin, Texas), 17.00 seconds, $7,000; 2. Taycie Matthews (Wynne, Ark.), 17.22, $5,500; 3. Katelyn Scott (Odessa, Texas), 17.26, $4,500; 4. Paige Jones (Wayne, Okla.), 17.37, $3,250; 5. Lynette Brodoway (Brooks, Alta.), 17.49, $2,000; 6. Chelsea Moore (Rose Hill, Kan.), 17.65, $1,000; 7. Sissy Winn (Chapman Ranch, Texas), 17.66, $0; 8. Ilyssa Riley (Hico, Texas), 17.79, $0; 8. Blake Molle (Chauvin, Alta.), 17.79, $0; 10. Abby Phillips (Marshall, Texas), 17.89, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. Taycie Matthews (Wynne, Ark.), $17,500; 2. Katelyn Scott (Odessa, Texas), $14,750; 3. Carlee Otero (Perrin, Texas), $11,500; 4. Paige Jones (Wayne, Okla.), $8,250; 5. Chelsea Moore (Rose Hill, Kan.), $7,000; 6. Lynette Brodoway (Brooks, Alta.), $4,000; 7. Sissy Winn (Chapman Ranch, Texas), $3,250; 8. Ilyssa Riley (Hico, Texas), $2,000; 9. Abby Phillips (Marshall, Texas), $1,000; 10. Blake Molle (Chauvin, Alta.), $500.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday
NOVICE SADDLE BRONC
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Eastan West (New Underwood, S.D.), Unsoft Marshmallow, 75.0 points; 2. Devon Hay (Wildwood, Alta.), Autumn Bubbles, 70.5; 3. Lonnie Dunn (Big River, Sask.), Barred Lieutenant, 61.0; 4. Quinn Tallmadge (Meadow Lake, Sask.), Becareful ICU, bucked off.
bolded — champion
TIE-DOWN ROPING
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Riley Webb (Denton, Texas), 7.1 seconds, $7,000; 2. Haven Meged (Miles City, Mont.), 7.5, $5,500; 3. Bryce Derrer (Portales, N.M.), 7.9, $4,500; 4. Beau Cooper (Stettler, Alta.), 8.5, $2,625; 4. Kincade Henry (Mt. Pleasant, Texas), 8.5, $2,625; 6. Brushton Minton (Witter Springs, Calif.), 10.8, $1,000; 7. Trevor Hale (Perryton, Texas), 10.9; 8. Westyn Hughes (Caldwell, Texas), no time, $0; 8. Dylan Hancock (San Angelo, Texas), NT, $0; 8. Shane Hanchey (Carmine, Texas), NT, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. Riley Webb (Denton, Texas), $14,000; 2. Haven Meged (Miles City, Mont.), $11,500; 3. Kincade Henry (Mt. Pleasant, Texas), $10,208.33; 4. Bryce Derrer (Portales, N.M.), $9,000; 5. Shane Hanchey (Carmine, Texas), $8,500; 6. Beau Cooper (Stettler, Alta.), $7,958.33; 7. Westyn Hughes (Caldwell, Texas), $5,500; 8. Dylan Hancock (San Angelo, Texas), $2,083.33; 9. Brushton Minton (Witter Springs, Calif.), $1,000; 10. Trevor Hale (Perryton, Texas), $0.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday
SADDLE BRONC
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Brody Wells (Powell, Wyo.), Little Muffin, 88.0, $7,000;2. Lucas Macza (High River, Alta.), Zorta Proud, 85.5, $5,000; 2. Dawson Dahm (Duffield, Alta.), Elvira, 85.5, $5,000; 4. Damian Brennan (Injune, Australia), Night Devil, 84.5, $3,250;5. Ryder Sanford (Sulphur, La.), Lunatic Party, 84.0, $2,000; 6. Isaac Diaz (Desdemona, Texas), Bannock Slap, 82.0, $1,000; 7. Chase Brooks (Deer Lodge, Mont.), Aloha Margie, 81.5, $0; 8. Kolby Wanchuk (Sherwood Park, Alta.), 80.5, $0; 9. Trenton Burd (Madison, Kan.), North Star, 78.5, $0; 10. Cort Scheer (Bluff Dale, Texas), Night Vision, double grab, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. Kolby Wanchuk (Sherwood Park, Alta.), $13,250; 2. Lucas Macza (High River, Alta.), $11,500; 3. Dawson Dahm (Duffield, Alta.), $10,500; 4. Brody Wells (Powell, Wyo.), $8,000; 5. Trenton Burd (Madison, Kan.), $6,500; 6. Chase Brooks (Deer Lodge, Mont.), $6,250; 7. Isaac Diaz (Desdemona, Texas), $5,250; 7. Ryder Sanford (Sulphur, La.), $5,250; 9. Damian Brennan (Injune, Australia), $3,250; 10. Cort Scheer (Bluff Dale, Texas), $0.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday
STEER WRESTLING
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Jesse Brown (Baker City, Ore.), 4.0 seconds, $7,000; 2. Stetson Jorgensen (Blackfoot, Idaho), 5.4, $5,500; 3. JD Struxness (Milan, Minn.), 5.5, $3,875; 3. Dakota Eldridge (Elko, Nev.), 5.5, $3,875; 5. Ty Erickson (Helena, Mont.), 6.4, $2,o00; 6. Clayton Hass (Weatherford, Texas), 7.7, $1,000; 7. Travis Munro (Townsville, Australia), 8.3, $0; 8. Jacob Edler (Alva, Okla.), no time, $0; 8. Stan Branco (Chowchilia, Calif.), NT, $0; 8. Dirk Tavenner (Rigby, Idaho), NT, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. Dakota Eldridge (Elko, Nev.), $13,375; 2. Ty Erickson (Helena, Mont.), $10,500; 3. Clayton Hass (Weatherford, Texas), $9,250; 4. Stetson Jorgensen (Blackfoot, Idaho), $8,125; 5. Travis Munro (Townsville, Australia), $8,000; 5. JD Struxness (Milan, Minn.), $8,000; 7. Jesse Brown (Baker City, Ore.), $7,000; 8. Jacob Edler (Alva, Okla.), $5,500; 9. Stan Branco (Chowchilia, Calif.), $0; 9. Dirk Tavenner (Rigby, Idaho), $0.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday
BULL RIDING
POOL B
Wednesday — Day 3
1. Trey Kimzey (Strong City, Okla.), Tactical Error, 88.5, $7,200; 2. Creek Young (Rogersville, Mo.), Muley Madness, 88.0, $5,700; 3. Jace Trosclair (Chauvin, La.), Splash Tide, 87.50, $4,700; 4. TJ Gray (Klamath Falls, Ore.), Krytonite, 83.5, $3,450; 5. Weston Davidson (Strongfield, Sask.), Bob’s Your Uncle, 76.0; $2,200; 6. Jared Parsonage (Maple Creek, Sask.), Wonkey Donkey, bucked off, $0; 6. Coy Robbins (Camrose, Alta.), First to Swing, BO, $0; 6. Jordan Hansen (Amisk, Alta.), Whistleblower, BO, $0; 6. Josh Frost (Randlett, Utah), Gundy BO, $0; 6. Brody Yeary (Morgan Mill, Texas), Destination Unknown, BO, $0.
Aggregate — after three rounds
1. Trey Kimzey (Strong City, Okla.), $19,575; 2. Jace Trosclair (Chauvin, La.), $15,575; 3. Creek Young (Rogersville, Mo.), $12,283.33; 4. Josh Frost (Randlett, Utah), $8,333.33; 4. Jared Parsonage (Maple Creek, Sask.), $8,333.33; 6. TJ Gray (Klamath Falls, Ore.), $3,450; 7. Weston Davidson (Strongfield, Sask.), $2,200; 8. Brody Yeary (Morgan Mill, Texas), $0; 8. Coy Robbins (Camrose, Alta.), $0; 8. Jordan Hansen (Amisk, Alta.), $0.
bolded — advances to Showdown Sunday