On Sunday, Consort, Alberta cowboy Scott Guenthner claimed the coveted Calgary Stampede Champion title in steer wrestling, marking the second time in his career he’s earned the honor. He previously won the Stampede in 2023, but winning one of the biggest rodeos of the year in your home country never gets old.
Guenthner started strong in Pool A earlier in the week, picking up $5,500 in the first round, $7,000 in the second, and another $5,500 in the third, setting himself up for a big finish.
In the final round on Championship Sunday, Guenthner was the last cowboy out in the three-man final and delivered a fast 3.7-second run to secure the title and the $50,000 payday that comes with it.
With that kind of money on the line, you’d expect the most pressure to hit in the final round, but for Guenthner, it’s actually the earlier round that tests his nerves the most.
“That 9-man round — it’s tough,” Guenthner said. “You’re going against the best guys out of every pool, and it’s the world’s best guys, is what it boils down to. So if you stub your toe, you’re kind of out of the money.”
Following his success at the Calgary Stampede, Guenthner has moved up to No. 10 in the PRCA World Standings with $74,664 in earnings putting him in a strong position to make another trip to the National Finals Rodeo later this year.