Rodeo veterans show the way
Riley Warren knew that success at the Dawson Creek Stampede was critical if the veteran two-event hand wanted to salvage what has been a disappointing season to date. And the 33-year-old former Canadian champion did exactly what he needed to do, posting an 8.9-second run for $2,508.
The win gives the three-time high-point winner just over $9,000 for the season, leaving him still in an unfamiliar spot — well back of the twelve qualifying Canadian Finals Rodeo berths.
‘I’ve done pretty good at Dawson Creek in the past, placed a few times and split the win there with Keely Bonnett in 2017,” Warren reflected. “They hadn’t won much on that calf, but I got a really good start and I think that was the difference.”
“I’ve been riding a younger horse this year, Jag; he’s an 11-year-old gelding I was team roping on before,” Warren said.
“He runs hard and really stops — I’d like him to be the horse I ride through the second half of my career. Obviously, he’s not as seasoned or as solid as Peso (Logan Bird’s Horse of the Year) right now, but I think he’s got that kind of talent.”
Warren noted as well that the Dawson Creek win was doubly huge because it came at an SMS Equipment Pro Tour rodeo with the points counting toward the upcoming Tour Finale in Armstrong, B.C.
“With two more tour rodeos to go, if a guy could do something at those, that Tour Finale could be a game changer. I’ve broken the barrier this year for probably 5,000 and had calves get up for another five,” the 11-year pro noted.
“Yeah, some bad luck for sure and you just can’t stub your toe anymore. The roping is tougher now than it was a couple of years ago. There’s a bunch of young guys that just rope so well.”
All that said, Warren is excited about where he’s at.
“I know I’m still a ways back as far as getting to the CFR, but there’s no reason I can’t give myself a chance to get back in the hunt,” he said. “I’ve got momentum and confidence on my side.”
Another veteran timed-event cowboy, Morgan Grant, also enjoyed success on the weekend as the Didsbury, Alta., cowboy topped the field in the Dawson Creek steer wrestling with a 4.2-second run to take home the $2,216 winner’s cheque.
The win was critical for the three-time high-point champion as he was 13th in the bulldogging standings, just outside the 12 men that will travel to CFR in Red Deer in November.
Saddle bronc rider Dawson Dahm continued his string of recent successes as he put up a solid 83.5 score on Duffy Rodeo’s 10 Bootilear to emerge victorious at the second CPRA weekend rodeo at the Rimbey Pro Rodeo and add $940 to his season’s earnings, keeping the Duffield, Alta., hand in the top five in the Canadian standings.
See Rodeo Canada for complete unofficial results.
CPRA athletes continue down the rodeo trail later this week with three stops: Maple Leaf Circuit events Pincher Creek Pro Rodeo and Cranbrook Pro Rodeo, Aug. 18 to 20, and a new addition, the British Columbia Northern Exhibition in Prince George, Aug. 17 to 19.
Enjoy the full Rodeo Week feature!
