RODEO NOTES: Record-setter Kassie Mowry in position to defend Calgary Stampede barrel-racing title (2024)

Only a few cowpokes have captured a Calgary Stampede more than once.

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Even fewer have earned titles in back-to-back years.

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Kassie Mowry is chasing such a champion’s feat, although she says defending her 2022 barrel racing crown here is likely beyond her reach.

Yeah … right.

“It would be amazing, obviously, to repeat what we did last year, but that’s so far-fetched,” said the star Texan racer oh-so matter-of-factly Sunday. “Even the fact that we did it once … I mean … it’s still it’s hard to believe.

“They brought me some pictures from last year, and I’m just like kind of reliving it. It just was an amazing experience and feeling, and we’re just gonna shoot for the best and hope it works.”

It’s certainly not out of the realm of possibility for the product of Dublin, Texas, to duplicate victory within just 12 months of claiming last year’s crown.

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After all, she returns with her winning mount, Famous Ladies Man, a.k.a. ‘Emmett’, who’s been all that at the Calgary Stampede.

The duo connected for an arena record of 16.86 seconds as part of the championship run last year.

“My horse is a big hitter,” said the 41-year-old Mowry. “I feel like when he can make his run, he can run with anything. And very few horses that I’ve ever had I can say that about, and I’ve trained a lot at this point. So he’s very special.”

Emmett needed to be just that for the reigning queen Sunday afternoon during the third and final round of Pool A.

With the team having raced to just $2,083 combined in the previous two rounds, a big ride was necessary just to qualify for next weekend’s championship round and keep the dream alive for a repeat.

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And so they went out and put up a sub-17-second trip, just as they did twice on Showdown Sunday a year ago.

“This week started out rough,” Mowry said. “I tipped a barrel the first round. I think I just rode a little too careful. And then in the second round, my horse slipped pretty good going into the second barrel. He covered it up, but I know him well and that really affected his run — we were a 10th-of-a-second off. So we got a low cheque.

“So really (Sunday), it was all on the line for me. I came out here, and it was all or nothing, and I was OK with however it went. It’s really a tough feat to make the short-go here — and I know that. I just thought you know what? How it goes is how it goes.

“I set him up this morning. I literally never got him out of a walk in the practice. I just walked the most perfect run that I wanted him to make. And he came out here and just delivered it for me.”

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Indeed, the 16.977-second run was fastest of all 10 competitors, paying Mowry $7,000 and boosting her to second in the money column — with $9,083 — after Pool A action. Only South Dakota’s Lisa Lockhart pocketed more cash — $18,500 — after she won the first two rounds of the pool.

The two other barrel racers advancing to Showdown Sunday are Oklahoma’s Emily Beisel ($9,000) and Texas’ Sissy Winn ($5,500).

But can anybody beat Emmett when it matters most in this arena?

“He stays ready all the time,” added Mowry. “I just need to not get in his way like I did (on Friday).”

MOVING ON

How much does winning a round mean in the Calgary Stampede’s new three-pool, no-wildcard format?

It meant everything Sunday, with the winners of all six events needing it to qualify for Showdown Sunday.

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• South Dakota’s Jestyn Woodward needed his first-place 87.5-point ride aboard Red Rocker to advance in bull riding. The 19-year-old Woodward ($9,625) joins Texan Cody Teel ($14,500), Arizona’s J.C. Mortensen ($10,250) and New York’s Daylon Swearingen ($8,000) in the finale.

• In saddle bronc, it was California’s Lefty Holman with the top ride — an 89.5 score aboard Come Along — to push him into Showdown Sunday with $6,500. New Mexican Leon Fountain’s winning rounds on Friday and Saturday make him the top finalist with $14,000. And they’ll be joined by fan favourite Zeke Thurston ($11,000), of Big Valley, Alta., and South Dakota’s Shorty Garrett ($6,500).

• Riley Webb’s slick 7.1s trip in tie-down roping earned him top spot and a place in the final with $9,000. The other three ropers collected more Pool A money than the 19-year-old Texan to join him in Showdown Sunday. They are Texan Caleb Smidt — last year’s Stampede champion — with an event leading $11,250, Brazil’s Marcos Costa ($10,000) and Beau Cooper ($9,500) of Stettler, Alta.

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• And Clayton Biglow needed his winning bareback trip of 88.0 aboard I’m A Winner to advance to Showdown Sunday. The California star pulled together $14,750 over the last three rounds to push ahead of the other three qualifiers — Idaho’s Tim O’Connell ($12,500), Clint Laye ($11,375) of Cadogan, Alta., and Montana’s Caleb Bennett ($10,500).

WINNER, WINNER …

Kade Madsen made it three-for-three in novice bareback, winning all three rounds — including the short-go Sunday — to claim the 2023 Calgary Stampede title in the young buckaroo’s event.

The 18-year-old Utah multi-event prospect put together a 75.5-point score on Approaching Carma and a combined three-round aggregate of 236 points to win the finale, topping Denver Leitch of Grimshaw, Alta., and his 61.5 on Walleye Rocket.

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Only the top four from the first two rounds competed Sunday for the championship.

tsaelhof@postmedia.com

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CALGARY STAMPEDE RESULTS — SUNDAY (DAY 3)

a-advances to Showdown Sunday

BAREBACK — POOL A

1. Clayton Biglow (Clements, Calif.), I’m a Winner, 88.0 points, $7,000; 2. Tim O’Connell (Zwingle, Idaho), Sassy Spurs, 85.5, $5,500; 3. Caleb Bennett (Corvallis, Mont.), Turbo Rocket, 83.5, $4,500; 4. Clint Laye (Cadogan, Alta.), Mary Jane (re-ride), 82.5, $2,625; 4. RC Landingham (Hat Creek, Calif.), Simply Marvellous, 82.5, $2,625; 6. Mason Clements (Spanish Fork, Utah), Side Show, 79.0, $1,000; 7, Nick Pelke (Mondovi, Wisc.), Breaking Acres, 78.5, $0; 8. Cole Reiner (Buffalo, Wyo.), Buckskin Sally, 78.0, $0; 9. Ben Kramer (Max, N.D.),Descending Rocket, 75.0, $0; — Ty Breuer (Mandan, N.D.), did not ride.

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Aggregate

a-1. Clayton Biglow (Clements, Calif.), $14,750; a-2. Tim O’Connell (Zwingle, Idaho), $12,500; a-3. Clint Laye (Cadogan, Alta.), $11,375; a-4. Caleb Bennett (Corvallis, Mont.), $10,500; 5. Cole Reiner (Buffalo, Wyo.), $9,000; 6. RC Landingham (Hat Creek, Calif.), $7,125; 7. Mason Clements (Spanish Fork, Utah), $3,000; 8. Nick Pelke (Mondovi, Wis), $1,000; 9. Ben Kramer (Max, N.D.), $500; 10. Ty Breuer (Mandan, N.D.), $0.

BARREL RACING — POOL A

1. Kassie Mowry (Dublin, Texas), 17.02, $7,000; 2. Sissy Winn (Chapman Ranch, Texas), 17.36, $5,500; 3. Lisa Lockhart (Oelrichs, S.D.), 17.40, $4,500; 4. Sara Winkelman (Big Lake, Minn.), 17.42, $3,250; 5. Bradi Whiteside (Longview, Alta.), 17.49, $2,000; 6. Shelby Spielman (Ponoka, Alta.), 17.51, $1,000; 7. Jessica Routier (Buffalo, S.D.), 17.58; $0; 8. Stevi Hillman (Weatherford, Texas), 17.59, $0; 9. Emily Beisel (Weatherford, Okla.), 17.66, $0; 10. Margo Crowther (North Fort Myers, Fla,), 18.15, $0.

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Aggregate

a-1. Lisa Lockhart (Oelrichs, S.D.), $18,500; a-2. Kassie Mowry (Dublin, Texas) $9,083; a-3. Emily Beisel (Weatherford, Okla.), $9,000; 4. Jessica Routier (Buffalo, S.D.), $5,500; a-4. Sissy Winn (Chapman Ranch, Texas), $5,500; 4. Stevi Hillman (Weatherford, Texas), $5,500; 7. Margo Crowther (North Fort Myers, Fla.), $5,333; 8. Sara Winkelman (Big Lake, Minn.), $5,250; 9. Shelby Spielman (Ponoka, Alta.), $4,083; 10. Bradi Whiteside (Longview, Alta.), $2,000.

TIE-DOWN ROPING — POOL A

1. Riley Webb (Denton, Texas), 7.1, $7,000; 2. Caleb Smidt (Bellville, Texas), 7.2, $5,000; 3. Beau Cooper (Stettler, Alta.), 7.2, $5,000; 4. Trevor Hale (Perryton, Texas), 8.5, $3,250; 5. Marty Yates (Stephenville, Texas), 9.0, $2,000; 6. Zach Jongbloed (Iowa, La.), 9.7, $1,000; 7. Riley Pruitt (Gering, Neb.), 10.2, $0; 8. Matt Shiozawa (Chubbuck, Idaho), 10.8, $0; 9. Marcos Costa (Iretama, Brazil), 11.2, $0; 10. Michael Otero (Lowndesboro, Ala.), 12.7, $0.

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Aggregate

a-1. Caleb Smidt (Bellville, Texas), $11,250; a-2. Marcos Costa (Iretama, Brazil), $10,000; a-3. Beau Cooper (Stettler, Alta.), $9,500; a-4. Riley Webb (Denton, Texas), $9,000;5. Michael Otero (Lowndesboro, Ala.), $7,000; 6. Riley Pruitt (Gering, Neb.), $6,250; 6. Zach Jongbloed (Iowa, La.), $6,250; 8. Matt Shiozawa (Chubbuck, Idaho), $4,250; 9. Trevor Hale (Perryton, Texas), $3,250; 10. Marty Yates (Stephenville, Texas), $2,000.

SADDLE BRONC — POOL A

1. Lefty Holman (Visalia, Calif.), Come Along, 89.5, $7,000; 2. Damian Brennan (Injune, Australia), Second Thoughts, 87.0, $5,500; 3. Zeke Thurston (Big Valley, Alta.), Annual News, 86.5, $4,500; 4. Isaac Diaz (Desdemona, Texas), Zaka Kibitz, 84.0, $3,250; 5. Ryder Sanford (Sulphur, La.), Welcome Delivery, 83.5, $2,000; 6. Leon Fountain (Corona, N.M.), Xemplary Bubbles, 83.0, $1,000; 7. Brody Cress (Hillsdale, Wyo.), Pearl Harbour, 82.5, $0; 8. Shorty Garrett (Eagle Butte, S.D.), California Kiki, 80.0, $0, 9. Parker Fleet (Axtell, Texas), Mr. Major, 76.5, $0; 10. Spencer Wright (Milford, Utah), Lady Bug, 75.5 $0.

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Aggregate

a-1. Leon Fountain (Corona, N.M.), $14,000; a-2. Zeke Thurston (Big Valley, Alta.), $11,000; a-3. Lefty Holman (Visalia, Calif.), $6,500; a-3. Shorty Garrett (Eagle Butte, S.D.), $6,500;5. Damian Brennan (Injune, Australia), $3,250; 5. Brody Cress (Hillsdale, Wyo.), $3,250; 7. Parker Fleet (Axtell, Texas), $2,000; 8. Ryder Sanford (Sulphur, La.), $0; 8. Spencer Wright (Milford, Utah), $0; 8. Isaac Diaz (Desdemona, Texas), $0.

STEER WRESTLING — POOL A

1. Cody Devers (Perryton, Texas), 3.4, $6,250; 1. Stan Branco (Chowchilla, Calif.), 3.4, $6,250; 3. Dalton Massey (Hermiston, Ore.), 3.6, $4,500; 4. Dirk Tavenner (Rigby, Idaho), 3.9, $3,250; 5. Tucker Allen (Oak View, Calif.), 4.0, $2,000; 6. Nick Guy (Sparta, Wis.), 12.9, $1,000; 7. Curtis Cassidy (Donalda, Alta.), 13.6, $0; Stockton Graves (Alva, Okla.), no time, $0; Don Payne (Stephenville, Texas), no time, $0; Tanner Brunner (Ramona, Kan.), no time, $0.

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Aggregate

a-1. Dalton Massey (Hermiston, Ore.), $16,500; a-2. Cody Devers (Perryton, Texas) $13,250; a-3. Stockton Graves (Alva, Okla.) $10,250; a-4. Dirk Tavenner (Rigby, Idaho), $8,500; 5. Tucker Allen (Oak View, Calif.), $7,000; 6. Stan Branco (Chowchilla, Calif.), $6,250; 7. Tanner Brunner (Ramona, Kan.) $5,000; 8. Curtis Cassidy (Donalda, Alta.), $1,000; 8. Don Payne (Stephenville, Texas), $1,000; 8. Nick Guy (Sparta, Wis.), $1,000.

BULL RIDING — POOL A

1. Jestyn Woodward (Custer, S.D.), Red Rocker, 87.5, $7,000; 2. Jeff Askey (Athens, Texas), Whistleblower, 84.5, $5,500; 3. Cody Teel (Kountze, Texas), Jelly Roll, 84.0, $4,500; 4. J.C. Mortensen (Paulden, Ariz.), Dr. Doolittle, 82.0, $2,625; 4. Dakota Buttar (Eatonia, Sask.), Mullie Madness, 82.0, $2,625; 6. Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, N.Y.), Night Walker, 81.0, $1,000; Chance Schott (McLaughlin, S.D.), Moe, bucked off, $0; Trevor Reiste (Linden, Iowa), Sky Fall, bucked off, $0; Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas), The Warden, bucked off, $0; Trey Holston (Fort Scott, Kan.), Stutter Step, bucked off, $0.

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Aggregate

a-1. Cody Teel (Kountze, Texas), $14,500; a-2. J.C. Mortensen (Paulden, Ariz.), $10,250; a-3. Jestyn Woodward (Custer, S.D.), $9,625; a-4. Daylon Swearingen (Piffard, N.Y.), $8,000;5. Cooper Davis (Jasper, Texas), $5,500; 6. Jeff Askey (Athens, Texas), $5,500; 7. Trey Holston (Fort Scott, Kan.), $4,500; 8. Dakota Buttar (Eatonia, Sask.), $2,625; 9. Trevor Reiste (Linden, Iowa), $2,000; 10. Chance Schott (McLaughlin, S.D.), $0.

NOVICE BAREBACK — SHORT_GO

c-1. Kade Madsen (Honeyville, Utah), Approaching Carma, 75.5;2. Denver Leitch (Grimshaw, Alta.), Walleye Rocket, 61.5; 3. Brady Schlesiger (Surgeon County, Alta.) Yodelling Alabama, 55.0; 4. Mason Stuller (Veneta, Ore.), Simon’s Warrior, bucked off.

c-champion

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