Broncs & Honky Tonks

It’s full steam ahead for the 2012 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association season. The results from the Medicine Hat’s April 23 ‘Broncs and Honky Tonks’ Rodeo, show some competitors sparking this year off with a big bang. Longview’s cowboy Steele DePaoli topped the score board making his first ever pro Tie-Down Roping win.

According to the CPRA\’s press release, DePaoli was quite impressed with his Medicine Hat win. “The calves were typical spring calves, not a lot of fun, but I drew one of the better ones. I grabbed my slack like a team roper, which kind of messed me up. But I was able to finish it off okay and, lucky for me, everyone else was slower.”

Furthermore the CPRA released the following results. In the tie-down roping, Chad Johnson of Del Bonita was one tenth of a second behind DePaoli’s time of 9.6- taking home the second place position. Nanton’s Logan Bird was third with a time of 10 seconds flat.

Bareback rider and CPRA blogger Matt Lait has positioned himself in the standings, winning an 82 point ride on Kesler’s gelding Trail Smoke. Sunnynook’s Michael Solberg scored a 81.5 point ride for the second place. Cessford cowboy Clayton Bunney came in a half a point under Solberg, taking home third spot and $811.

In the Bull Riding Manitoba’s Zane Lambert, aboard Kesler’s Whiskey Jack scored a roaring 90 point ride. The 2010 Canadian Champion Jesse Torkelson, rode a 85 point ride for second place position.

Two cowboys nailed 82 points to split the top spot in the Saddle Bronc riding. Rylan Geiger of Duchess on top of Kesler’s Dark Shadow and Lundbreck’s Kyle Thomson rode out Kesler’s Sheer Persuasion for the tie. Both bronc riders took home a $1,166 paycheque from the weekend.

It was the Americans who took home the Team Roping and Steer Wresting titles. Team Ropers Matt Robertson and Miles Kobold made a 4.8 second run to earn them $1,232 each, and Browning, Montana’s Rian Conway slammed a time of 3.9 garnered him a $2119 payday in the Steer Wrestling.

In the Friday morning slack the 2009 Canadian Barrel Racing Champion, Gaylene Buff of Westwold, BC made the winning time of 12.941 and $2043. Cole Neely of Dutchess took the lead in the Novice Saddle Bronc event and the Junior Steer Riding title went to young Claresholm cowboy Logan Biever.

According the the CPRA schedule, the next rodeos are slated for Coleman, Alberta April 27-29 and Trail, British Columbia Saturday, April 28.