Hansen Back on Track

Jordan Hansen was the youngest bullrider to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo last season. Now in his third season on the Pro Rodeo Canada trail, the Okotoks, AB, cowboy is still just 20-years-old, but in the last eight months his goal has definitely changed.

“I don’t want to just qualify (for the CFR),” says Hansen of his expectations in 2014. “I want to go win it.”

After a pair of victories this past weekend in Taber, AB, and Benalto, AB, Hansen is at least back in the hunt for a second straight CFR appearance. The $2,031 he won will unofficially move him to 13th in the new CPRA standings ahead of the injured, Ty Patten of Buck Lake, AB, and just behind 2011 world champion, Shane Proctor, who isn’t likely to enter the required 15 rodeos this season to allow him to compete at the CFR as a non-Canadian.

“My season started really good. I was in the top ten until Hand Hills and then I hit a slump,” explains Hansen. “I watched some videos and saw I wasn’t focused and kept looking at the ground. But I finally pulled my head out of my butt in the last month and I’m focused on staying focused.”

In fact, since June 1st, Hansen hadn’t won a dime until rolling into Benalto on July 5th and posting an 87-point ride on a Bar-C5 bull called Sugar Bear.

“Tanner Girletz had him in Maple Creek (last year) and he was good. He bucks a lot like (Big Stone Rodeo’s) Pop Evil.”

Rookie bareback rider, Cole Goodine of Carbon, AB, has now won cheques at five of his last six rodeos. Goodine went to the pay window at all three weekend stops in Taber, Benalto and Coronation, AB. The cheques totaled $1,246 compared with the $9,550 the semi-pro superstar won in Ponoka, AB, and Airdrie, AB, the weekend before.

Stettler, AB, roper, Riley Warren also collected three cheques. The 24-year-old split 1st in Benalto and split 2nd in Taber in the tie-down roping and grabbed a 3rd place cheque in the team roping in Taber for a $2,856 weekend.

A pair of CPRA cowboys competing at the Calgary Stampede took time out to cash in at the smaller pro rodeo stops. Donalda, AB, steer wrestler, Curtis Cassidy, who competed in the tie-down roping in Calgary on Saturday afternoon and then made the three hour trip to Taber, won the top money there ($1,249) with a 4.0-second run while Pincher Creek, AB, bronc rider, Dustin Flundra was 83.5-points on Frank Wyzykoski’s Ink Spot in Benalto to take home the first place cheque worth $1,147.

Other top winners from the weekend included steer wrestler, Scott Guenthner ($1,656); saddle bronc rider, Jim Berry ($1,253); team ropers, Kolton Schmidt and Rocky Dallyn ($1,201 each); barrel racer, Kerilee Noval ($1,250) and novice saddle bronc rider, Keenan Reinhardt ($749).

Next on the CPRA schedule are the Teepee Creek Stampede (July 11-13) and the Peace River Pro Rodeo (July 12-13).