After getting bucked off of his first horse at the 2023 CFR, Zeke Thurston responded by putting together five straight rounds of impeccable saddle bronc riding.
He entered Red Deer as the three-time defending champion and left with his fourth Canadian title under his belt.
“The more of them I win, I never take them for granted and each one is more special because it’s never a lay up, it’s never a give me,” he said. “Twelve of the best bronc riders in Canada, it’s an honor to compete with them and what a rodeo.”
Thurston’s final five rides were all marked 87.5 points or more and earned him four Go-Round wins. His CFR earnings totaled more than $40,000, and that’s without an Average check.
In the end, he finished with $89,186, which was more than $28,000 clear of second-place cowboy Ben Andersen, who entered the CFR No. 1.
