Rodeo's best delight Lakeland College
The Lakeland College Rustlers captured four of 13 Canadian College Finals Rodeo buckles this past weekend.
Rustler Nathan Newman started the championship haul by picking up the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA) Cowboy of the Year award during opening night of the Finals Rodeo at the Lakeland College Equine Centre in Vermilion on Thursday.
Team Southern Alberta athlete Brittainy Smith won the CIRA Cowgirl of the Year prize.
"It's an honour," said Newman. "It's so cool. It's something I've always dreamed of and for it to happen is pretty exciting."
Braiden Bach, president of the CIRA, said Newman and Smith have put in a ton of hard work during the past six months to better themselves as cowboys or cowgirls, as well as help other rodeo contestants to advance in their respective events.
He said both award winners are at the top of their sport, but that isn't a prerequisite toward capturing the buckle and accompanying Canadian Christian Cowboys Association Bible.
"It's usually somebody who's helping out and always positive," said Newman.
"I don't know. I've always been like that. I just enjoy helping people get better and cheering them on. Your rodeo family is an important part of everybody's lives and we got to all stick together and support everybody."
CIRA season champion Shyla Fuchs led off the Finals Rodeo championship night on Saturday by racing to a clean run of 21.31 seconds for the fastest time of the weekend in the pole bending event.
The first-place finish accompanied by a second-hole money run the previous evening and top time on opening night earned the BC College of Equine Therapy student the buckle.
Rustler Mason Helmeczi held on to capture his third-straight top money prize with a qualified ride of 72.5 points for the bareback event championship.
The ride just passed fellow Rustler and CIRA season leader Chett Deitz's third-round score of 72 points.
"It means a lot," said Helmeczi. "This is my last year in college up here in Canada, so I'm pretty tickled to have won a championship. That's what I worked for all year."
The Rustlers sported five athletes in the 10-man tie-down roping finals including CIRA season champion Brayden Lelek, but three strong runs during the weekend by University of Alberta Golden Bear Dylan Knapp ensured the buckle would be heading to the provincial capital.
A quick run out of the gate coupled with a perfect throw then helped Smith surge past Rustler, and season leader Jennifer Schuk for the breakaway roping buckle.
Rustler Ty Livingstone brought the massive crowd of rodeo fans lining the ring onto their feet shortly after with his win-at-all-costs performance in the steer wrestling event.
The weekend's average leader somehow caught onto his target despite shooting past the steer on his jump and then held on as the animal appeared to trample over him.
"To be totally honest," said Livingston, "I just closed my eyes, gritted my teeth and hoped for the best."
Livingstone got the steer down for a qualifying time of 11.3 seconds. The run allowed him to move past CIRA season champion Brennan Watson for the Finals Rodeo buckle.
The barrel racing championship came down to the final runs of Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Ooks athlete Cheyenne Klepper and University of Alberta Panda Nikki Vanderlee. Klepper, the season leader, won the buckle with a time of 14.56 seconds compared to Vanderlee's run of 14.91.
Team Southern Alberta athlete and CIRA season champion Kole Ashbacher notched his third straight perfect ride to capture the saddle bronc buckle.
Olds College Bronco JB Moen proved his season title was no fluke by winning the bull riding Finals Rodeo championship.
Brothers Brett and Kadon Knapp took the header and heeler prizes, respectively, in the team roping event.
The CIRA season leading team of Ryden Koehler and Asa Johnson had a strong run on championship night to take second-hole money.
Rustler Karlene Weltz needed a smooth run as the final contestant to enter the ring in the goat tying event due to a strong push by CIRA season champion Natalie Bevans and Southern Alberta competitor Emily Pugsley.
Weltz rose to the challenge by recording a time of 9.1 seconds for the buckle.
"I'm done this year," said Weltz. "So, it was really good to finish it off with a championship."
Story and photo provided by: Jamie Harkins, Meridian Booster