35 Going to CIRA Finals

35 Going to CIRA Finals
August 22, 2017

Lakeland's rodeo team will send 35 athletes to the 2017 Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA) finals March 30 - April 1 at the Calgary Stampede's Agrium Western Event Centre. 

To qualify for the finals, athletes had to be in the season's top 10 of their event. Lakeland athletes led the season in five of the 10 events and claimed 46 of the 110 spots in the finals. Those 35 athletes are more than one-third of the 87 competitors at the finals.

The Rustler team also heads into the finals after earning six of a possible 10 buckles at home during the Little Royal Rodeo. The  March 11 and 12 event was their final rodeo of the season

Karlene Weltz won buckles in both goat tying and pole bending. She also ended the season as the CIRA female hi-point leader. Teammate Kolby Wanchuk, who topped the male hi-point, picked up the Little Royal saddle bronc buckle. 

Grady Branden and Dylan Knapp (team roping), Paige Wilson (breakaway roping) and Danny Vandenameele (bareback) also won Little Royal titles.

"I would like to thank everyone who helped out at the rodeo and made it a success, I think it was our best one so far," says Katelyn Ellis, Lakeland's equine and rodeo operations manager.

The following athletes qualified for the 2017 CIRA finals:

  • Bareback – Chett Dietz, Wyatt Isaacson, Danny Vandenameele, Mason Helmeczi and Keifer Larson
  • Saddle bronc – Kolby Wanchuk (season leader) and Tyrell Simpson
  • Bull riding – Cooper Zur, Cole Hartman, and Wyatt Paul
  • Tie-Down roping – Tanner Kelley (season leader), Grady Branden, Maclin Anderson, Brett Kampjes and Quinton Van Straten 
  • Steer wrestling – Ty Livingstone, Cole Schmidt, Grady Branden and Brett Kampjes
  • Team roping – Kolby Wanchuk/Ty Livingston, Cole Schmidt, Nathan Newman/Brandon Duperron, Grady Branden, Brett Kampjes/Braiden Bach, Terrance Vodon/Maclin Anderson, Paige Wilson/ Braiden Roch, and Tanner  Kelley
  • Breakaway roping – Karlee Bender (season leader), Paige Wilson, Jessica May, Cassie Eaton and Hailey Tonn
  • Barrel racing – Jacey Crossley and Baylee Graham
  • Goat tying – Hailey Tonn (season leader), Karlene Weltz, Josey Millward and Sydney Vandenberg
  • Pole bending – Karlene Weltz (season leader), Abby Zur, Quinn Hlus, Kaycie Conrad, Baylee Graham and Jordan Ferguson