Weekend Rodeo Highlights

When Justin Berg discovered he’d drawn Kesler Rodeo Co.’s Country Cat for the second time in two weeks, he was through the roof.

“I was pretty excited,” he grinned, looking back to just a few days before the Whoop Up Days Pro Rode in Lethbridge, Alta. “I knew had a pretty good shot at winning.”

Earlier this month, Berg split first place at the Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede with an 87 on the same bay stallion. But even that wasn’t first time Berg paired up with the five time Canadian Finals Rodeo selection and 2006 Saddle Bronc of the NFR (National Finals Rodeo).

“I got on him at the (2009 Wrangler Canadian Professional Rodeo) Tour Finals in Calgary, Alta. last fall in the final round and I didn’t do that good on him. I got him rode but that’s about it,” he chuckled, noting that October ride was worth a score of 79.5, a far cry from his score in Dawson Creek, B.C. and, most recently, in Lethbridge where he placed first with an 88.5.

“He was pretty nice up (at Dawson) and he bucked – well, not so much better but a lot harder at Lethbridge. He felt pretty good. I had my hands full, that’s for sure,” Berg nodded. “He pretty near had his best day and it was kind of all I could do to stay on him.”

Berg, who resides in Marwayne, Alta. when not paving his way along the rodeo trail, had a pretty good day himself, considering it was his highest score at a Canadian Professional Rodeo Association event so far this season, not to mention the $1,982 cheque he has to show for it from the southeastern Alberta rodeo.

The 24-year-old cowboy is currently fourth in the saddle bronc standings, and this most recent win inches him within $53 of third place bronc rider Dustin Flundra of Pincher Creek, Alta. heading into the 2010 Tour Finals at Armstrong, B.C.

Weekend winners at the Lethbridge Whoop-Up Days Pro Rodeo: SB: Justin Berg, Marwayne, AB, Kesler Rodeo Co.’s Country Cat, 88.5 points; BB: Russ Hallaby, Airdrie, AB, Kelser Rodeo Co.’s Hour Glass, 84.0 points; BR: Jesse Torkelson, Winfield, AB, Kesler Championship Rodeo’s Wild Fire, 87.0 points; TD: Logan Hofer, Magrath, AB, 7.7 seconds; SW: Matt Reeves, Cross Plains, TX, 3.7 seconds; LBR: Joleen Seitz, Savona, BC, 14.72 seconds; TR: Jordan Dodds, Ponoka, AB & Scott Auclair, Ponoka, AB, 4.7 seconds.

Please visit RodeoCanada.com for detailed results from the Whoop Up Days Pro Rodeo, as well as more information on upcoming CPRA events.