There were some major changes to several leader boards on Saturday’s Ponoka Stampede performance but several Ponoka cowboys remain in the running.
With one more day of regular competition left, tomorrow’s cowboys are going to be working over time to land a top 12 spot.
After Sunday, the Ponoka Stampede finals will be held Monday afternoon with those top 12 athletes in each event vying for not only money, but a chance to make it to the rodeo showdown later that evening. The showdown pits the top four athletes in each event with some of the best stock available.
Each event in the showdown brings a total of $15,000 in prize money with the following breakdown: first place, $7,500; second place, $3,750; third place, $2,250 and fourth place, $1,500.
As for Saturday’s results, the real change for Ponoka athletes came in team roping with five teams shaking things up in the leaderboard.
Ponoka is on the list with header Levi Simpson and partner Jeremy Buhler (from Arrowwood) finding themselves in the sixth spot at 14.3 seconds.
Sitting in seventh at three tenths of a second behind Simpson and Buhler is Ponoka heeler Tyrell Gordon and his partner Tel Flewelling of Lacombe.
Tristin Woolsey and Denver Johnson remain in the top spot in team roping from their June 28 run but Brady and Riley Minor are now in second with a combined time of 12.8 seconds, just two tenths of a second slower than the leaders.
Also making a spot in the top 12 are Garrett Rogers and Russell Cardoza, who are a mere tenth of a second behind the Minor brothers, sitting in third place.
Steer wrestling saw five additions in the leader board standing with Stephen Culling, of Fort St. John, B.C. taking the lead with combined runs of 10.1 seconds. He is nine tenths of a second in front of Ponoka’s Craig Weisgerber.
The other changes from the Saturday performance was Zack Jongbloed of Iowa, LA landing in third with 11.9 seconds.
Jonny Webb of Okotoks took ninth spot with combined times of 17 seconds. Matt Richardson of Olds sits in 10th with 18.5 seconds and Cole Edge, of Durant, OK just made it into 12th spot with 19.2 seconds.
The other major change in the leader board was seen in the tie down roping event with seven ropers shaking things up.
Rhen Richard’s 17.7 second combined times put him in first place, while Zack Jongbloed is now in fifth with 18.7 seconds, Jordan Ketscher grabs sixth with 18.9 seconds. He’s followed closely by Shane Hanchey with 19 seconds, who’s followed by Justin Malone at 19.1 seconds, who is followed by Cody Craig at 19.2 seconds.
A few seconds behind those ropers is Cimarron Boardman with 19.4 seconds in 11th. Ponoka’s Keely Bonnett is in 12th from Friday’s performance.
Two more made it to the saddle bronc list with Taos Munci finding himself in the seventh spot on Lady Gaga for an 84.5 score. World champion Zeke Thurston took advantage of a re-ride to land himself in 12th spot with 82.75 points.
Bareback riding saw no changes with Jake Vold remaining in first.
Bull riding saw no changes and no qualified rides continuing a tough round of bulls. Ponoka’s Wacey Finkbeiner remains first in the leader board.
Barrel racing saw only one change with Holden’s Rene LeClerq squeaking through into 12th on the leader board with a time of 17.858 seconds, bumping, by a mere one thousandth of a second, Lacombe’s Justine Elliot.
