The Victoria Day weekend in May, means Canadian Pro Rodeo action in British Columbia. CPRA competitors loaded onto the BC ferries, for Vancouver Island’s Luxton professional rodeo and the interior’s famed Falkland Stampede. The CPRA’s May 22 Press Release, spotlights the winners who rode west to claim some rodeo riches.

A couple BC, competitors found their ways to the pay window. Pouce Coupe’s steer wrestler Clayton Moore and Savona’s Jolene Seitz made the best of their home province rodeos. Moore’s 3.4 second run, took the top money in Falkland then split 4/5 in Luxton with a time of 4.0. Seitz took home the Island rodeo’s top barrel money, while South Dakota cowgirl, Lisa Lockhart took the fastest barrel time in Falkland.

Luxton’s first place winner in the steer wresting, was Redcliffe, AB, cowboy Zane Hankel- with a time of 3.8 seconds.

In the bareback Aussie cowboy Jake Marshall, cleared Bog Stone Rodeo’s Tar Baby for a score of 86.5 and top spot at Luxton. Northcott Rodeo’s Night Mare made Longview AB, cowboy Stephan Peloquin a happy man at Falkland, scoring a 85 point win.

Taos Muncy, Canadian’s reigning Champion saddle bronc rider of Corona, New Mexico, rode Northcott Rodeo’s Rockin Horse, for a 82.5 winning ride at Falkland. Big Stone Rodeo’s Smokey proved bronc rider Luke Butterfield’s trip to Luxton worth while, with a 81.5 top score.

Utah tie down roper and 2007 Canadian Champion, Clint Robinson made his money in Falkland with a winning time of 8.2 seconds. It was Donalda AB’s ten time Canadian Champion, Curtis Cassidy who made the fastest time of 8.2 seconds to claim top spot in the tie down at Luxton.

The 2007 Bull Riding World Champion Welsey Silcox of Santaquin, Utah rode out Big Stone Rodeo’s Renegade for 87 points, and the title at Luxton. Buck Lake AB, cowboy Ty Patten’s sore of 84, aboard Northcott Rodeo’s Whiplash, put him in top position in front of the crowd at Falkland.

Both rodeos paid off for team roping brothers Clint and Jeremy Buhler. Their time of 4.6 seconds nailed them a win in Falkland, while a time of 5.8 on the Island scored the duo a check for fourth place. The Luxton title was roped in 4.3 seconds, by Riley Warren of Stettler, AB, and Kenton Fawcett of Ponoka, AB.

There may be a future star in the weekend’s mix of winners. Young rough stock riding prodigy Dawson Hay, (son of legendary saddle bronc rider Rod Hay), scored a 76 claiming the steer riding title at Falkland.

The next towns hosting pro rodeos for the last week of May, are Bonnyville and the renown Grande Prairie Stompede.

Known as the oldest indoor pro rodeo in Canada, the Stavely Pro Rodeo leveled out three days of excellent crowds and top notch rodeo action. The results released from the May 10-12 rodeo, by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association, highlight 17 year old Kyle Lucas, scoring his first pro rodeo win.

Lucas, is the son of 4 time Canadian Champion and Hall of Fame inductee ‘Smokin’ Joe Lucas. As mentioned in the CPRA’s press release, the Carstairs, Alberta roper contributed his win to the talent and experience of his dad’s mount Peewee. “We figured out he’d been to Stavely 11 times already, and probably knew the score better than me.” Lucas’s winning time of 8.3 seconds in the tie-down, claimed him a check for $1881- which successfully filled his permit member card.

The southern Alberta rodeo, made way for several other names to be listed higher in the Canadian Pro Rodeo standings. Kyle German and Scott Schiffner both posted 86‘s in the Bull Riding- German, on Big Stone’s Red Skin and Schiffner on Vold’s Power Slave.

In the barrels, the 2009 Barrel Racing Rookie of the Year, Adel Hansen, took top spot with a killer 13.675 second run. The weekend paycheck of $1979, now puts Hasen in third position just under Lauren Byrne, and BC’s 2011 CPRA Cowgirl of the Year, Gaylene Buff- who is holding top spot so far in the CPRA standings.

Other highlights mentioned over the three day rodeo by the CPRA include, “bareback rider Kevin Langevin (Bonnyville) who marked an 85 on Vold’s Sweeney Todd for $1456. Three time Canadian Champion, Kyle Bowers was second with 83.5 ($1195). In the saddle bronc riding, Ryan MacKenzie of Jordan Valley, Oregon rode Vold’s Easy To Love to 84 points and $1603. Canadians Layton Green and Delano Kjos split 2/3 with 81 points ($1174). The steer wrestling victor was Trace Nicholson (Taber) who ‘dogged’ his steer in 5.0 seconds for $2352. Cody Cassidy and Jessie Heggie split 2/3 with times of 5.1 seconds for $1878 each. Clint and Jeremy Buhler (Okotoks) were the best of the Team Ropers with a 5.0 for $2557. The steer riding winner was Lundbreck’s K’s Thomson with a 75 score ($407).”

Next on the rodeo trail for these competitors, are the towns of Luxton and Falkland. The May long weekend in BC, means rain or shine some of the best pro rodeo action of the year will play out over the Victoria Day holiday.