BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN @PRORODEOBRETT
The Canadian Finals Rodeo paid out more than $1.4 million as the National Championship up north aired on The Cowboy Channel for the first time.
The first Canadian Champion crowned in 2023 was also the oldest. At 62-years-old, barrel racer Lynette Brodoway entered the CFR No. 1 and pulled away with a second-place finish in the Sixth and Final Round to win by about $13,000 over CFR Average Champion Karlie Cowie and reigning Canadian Champion Taylor Manning by $14,000.
In bareback riding, Clint Laye claimed his second title in three years by winning the Average at the CFR. He made six straight rides of 83.5 points or more and placed in the Top 3 in every round.
Steer wrestling was won by a man familiar with the top spot. Scott Guenthner, the reigning Canadian Champion and 2023 Calgary Stampede Champion, was 3.5 seconds in Round 6 to leave no doubt in his quest to go back-to-back. He won by about $26,000 and it was his fourth career Canadian Title.
Team roping brought the best performance of any of the cowboys in Canada over five days. Brady Tryan/Calgary Smith finished second in the first two rounds before ripping off four straight round wins to finish the rodeo. Their final five times were all 4.1 seconds or faster and they each earned a total of nearly $63,000 at the CFR.
In saddle bronc riding, Zeke Thurston made it four straight Canadian Titles and did so in style. After bucking off of his first horse, he rode five straight for 87.5 points or more, including four round wins. Thurston was nearly $30,000 clear of the rest of the field.
Haven Meged was the lone American champion in Canada this year as he was the top-ranked tie-down roper entering the CFR and backed up that ranking by winning the Average.
While Meged was the lone American to win gold up north, there was also a Mexican cowboy who got the job done. For the second time in his career, Edgar Durazo won the Canadian Title, this time doing so with a 5-for-6 performance in Westerner Park win the CFR Average as well.
Lastly in breakaway roping, which was only three rounds, Shaya Biever made three runs of 2.8 seconds or faster to snag the title by $2,000 over Aubrey Ross.
BARREL RACING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Taylor Manning, $32,556; 2. Karli Cowie, $26,332; 3. Blake Molle, $24,178; 4. Lynette Brodoway, $18,193; 5. Carlee Otero, $16,278.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Karli Cowie, $14,004; 2. Bradi Whiteside, $10,413; 3. Lynette Brodoway, $6,822; 4. Justine Elliott $3,232; 5. Blake Molle, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Lynette Brodoway, $72,831; 2. Karlie Cowie, $59,476; 3. Taylor Manning, $58,862; 4. Blake Molle, $45,700; 5. Justine Elliott, $39,996.
BAREBACK RIDING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Clint Laye, $39,259; 2. Dantan Bertsch, $35,668; 3. Orin Larsen, $29,285; 4. Ty Taypotat, $23,939; 5. Mike Solberg, $4,548.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Clint Laye, $14,004; 2. Dantan Bertsch, $10,413; 3. Orin Larsen, $6,822; 4. Ty Typotat, $3,232; 5. Mike Solberg, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Clint Laye, $90,895; 2. Orin Larsen, $74,550; 3. Dantan Bertsch, $70,278; 4. Ty Taypotat, $55,723; 5. Kody Lamb, $47,047.
STEER WRESTLING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Scott Guenthner, $32,217; 2. Ty Miller, $16,996; 3. Dalton Massey, $14,363; 4. Stephen Culling, $13,645; 5. Harley Cole, $13,405.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Ty Miller, $14,004; 2. Scott Guenthner, $10,413; 3. Harley Cole, $6,822; 4. Chance Butterfield, $3,232; 5. Dalton Massey, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Scott Guenthner, $73,326; 2. Dalton Massey $46,691; 3. Ty Miller, $46,653; 4. Harley Cole, $45,931; 5. Stephen Culling, $41,318.
TEAM ROPING (HEADERS)
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Brady Tryan, $48,834; 2. Tee McLeod, $22,981; 3. Dawson Graham, $18,433; 4. Rhen Richard, $12,687; 5. Kolton Schmidt, $12,448.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Brady Tryan, $14,004; 2. Kolton Schmidt, $10,413; 3. Tuftin McLeod, $6,822; 4. Roland McFadden, $3,232; 5. Tee McLeod, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Brady Tryan, $91,494; 2. Tee McLeod, $53,680; 3. Dawson Graham, $52,149; 4. Kolton Schmidt, $47,553; 5. Tuftin McLeod, $38,069.
TEAM ROPING (HEELERS)
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Calgary Smith, $48,834; 2. Brady Chappel, $22,981; 3. Dillon Graham, $18,433; 4. Jeremy Buhler, $12,687; 5. Logan Spady, $12,448.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Calgary Smith, $14,004; 2. Logan Spady, $10,413; 3. Tyce McLeod, $6,822; 4. Tyrel Flewelling, $3,232; 5. Brady Chappel, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Calgary Smith, $91,494; 2. Brady Chappel, $53,680; 3. Dillon Graham, $52,149; 4. Logan Spady, $47,553; 5. Tyce McLeod, $38,069.
SADDLE BRONC RIDING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Zeke Thurston, $40,695; 2. Logan Hay, $27,290; 3. Leon Fountain, $14,602; 4. Lucas Macza, $13,405; 5. K’s Thomson, $11,730.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Logan Hay, $14,004; 2. Leon Fountain, $10,413; 3. Lucas Macza, $6,822; 4. K’s Thomson, $3,232; 5. Dawson Dahm, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Zeke Thurston, $89,187; 2. Ben Andersen, $61,130; 3. Logan Hay, $59,423; 4. Lucas Macza, $56,772; 5. Layton Green, $56,649.
TIE-DOWN ROPING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Haven Meged, $31,120; 2. Clayton Smith, $17,714; 3. Beau Cooper, $16,278; 4. Kyle Lucas, $13,884; 5. Shane Smith, $13,166.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Haven Meged, $14,004; 2. Kyle Lucas, $10,413; 3. Logan Bird, $6,822; 4. Austin Hines, $3,232; 5. Erik Dublanko, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Haven Meged, $82,482; 2. Kyle Lucas, $49,620; 3. Beau Cooper, $47,824; 4. Shane Smith, $46,396; 5. Logan Bird, $44,555
BULL RIDING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Edgar Durazo, $32,317; 2. Jared Parsonage, $20,587; 3. Wyatt Gleeson, $18,672; 4. Ashton Sahli, $16,278; 5. Jacob Gardner, $9,336.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Edgar Durazo, $14,004; 2. Jared Parsonage, $10,413; 3. Ashton Sahli, $6,822; 4. Wyatt Gleeson, $3,232; 5. Jett Lambert, $1,436.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Edgar Durazo, $82,467; 2. Jared Parsonage, $70,807; 3. Coy Robbins, $62,980; 4. Jacob Gardner, $56,593; 5. Jordan Hansen, $47,985.
BREAKAWAY ROPING
CFR Round Earnings: 1. Shelby Boisjoli, $9,711; 2. Bradi Whiteside, $7,178; 3. Shaya Biever, $6,333; 4. Macy Auclair, $5,067; 5. Lawrie Saunders, $4,644.
CFR Average Earnings: 1. Shaya Biever, $7,600; 2. Macy Auclair, $6,333; 3. Aubrey Ross, $5,067; 4. Lakota Bird, $3,800; 5. Kylie Whiteside, $2,533.
Total Year-End Earnings: 1. Shaya Biever, $32,44; 2. Aubrey Ross, $30,398; 3. Shelby Boisjoli, $27,438; 4. Macy Auclair, $22,124; 5. Bradi Whiteside, $21,295.
