If you have a chip and a chair, you have a chance. That’s what six-time CFR steer wrestling qualifier Baillie Milan says. That’s all you need when you saddle up for this poker game we call rodeo, and it’s the thing that keeps pushing competitors to make the miles in the hopes of qualifying for the ever-evasive “finals”—whichever one that may be.

As the end of the 2018 rodeo season in the CPRA and PRCA starts to draw near, we’re going to keep our eyes on “the bubble,” that nerve-wracking zone between having a chance and feeling safe. We’ll see who can overcome that position, and who will have to try again next year.

19,000 Reasons To Go To Armstrong

The Armstrong IPE and Stampede is the final rodeo of the 2018 Finning Pro Tour season and—at $13,000 added in each event during the regular season tour rodeo and $6,000 added in the tour finals—it’s one of the last “high-paying” events for the entire CPRA season. This is a make-or-break event for many competitors on the bubble, especially in events where the bottom end is only split by a few hundred dollars.

Watch the Finning Pro Tour: Armstrong IPE & Stampede and the Finning Pro Tour Finals LIVE on FloRodeo August 29 to September 2.

Saddle Bronc: DAWSON DAHM IN NO. 12 SPOT

At first glance, the saddle bronc riding race in the Canadian Standings appears to be a three-man race between Tyrel Larsen, Taos Muncy, and Sam Kelts for those last two spots when all three have $15,000 won. But closer inspection shows the bubble race is actually much further down the list. 

Several competitors that don’t have their rodeo count (minimum 15 rodeos in the CPRA) open up the list quite a bit and give several competitors that looked like they were a long way out previously, a good chance to slide into the top 12. 

Steer Wrestling: Chance Butterfield Sits On The Bubble

I hate to say it, but Chance Butterfield is in an all-too-familiar situation right now. Butterfield sits in the No. 12 spot and needs to keep hustling with the number of guys that are close behind him. 

Just a couple short years ago Butterfield was in this situation and it didn’t go his way at Armstrong, but the 2017 CFR qualifier now has even more experience under his belt and I think he can keep his cool through these last few rodeos, including Armstrong which paid about $3,500 for a split of first in the steer wrestling last year.

The standings will shuffle a bit after many of the competitors in the bottom end of the standings placed over the weekend, but for now, we’ll look at the current standings that include up to Pincher Creek and Cranbrook, courtesy of the CPRA. 

Tie-Down: Curtis Cassidy On The Bubble

There are three competitors within the top 12 on paper that will not be getting their minimum 15 rodeo count in the CPRA tie-down roping—Trevor Brazile and Rhen Richard don’t have enough rodeos left in the season to do it, and while Cory Solomon only needs six rodeos to get his count, it doesn’t appear he will get that count when looking at other rodeo draws that have been posted. This completely opens up the race for cowboys as low as Logan Hofer at No. 29 in the listed Canadian Standings. 

While it’s important to note that not everyone below the top 12 has a chance to move up together, as an individual, there's enough money left in the season to give Hofer a numerical chance at getting into the CFR.

Matt Shiozawa currently sits in the No. 14 spot (actual placings once competitors that don’t qualify are removed) and it seems that once a competitor has been to the CFR a couple times, they know how to get it done again. So I wouldn’t be surprised if you see the name Shiozawa on the draw come October 30. 

Shane Hanchey, who sits in the No. 4 spot, also needs three more rodeos to get his count, but the Louisiana cowboy says he’s going to get them and is looking forward to the 2018 CFR in Red Deer. 

We'll continue to analyze all of the events as the standings race continues to develop throughout the rest of the season, so stay tuned for Part 2 of "A Chip And A Chair."