Weekend Round-Up: Clock Ticking, Sundell Recovering, WPCA World Champ
Weekend Round-Up: Clock Ticking, Sundell Recovering, WPCA World Champ
In this Weekend Round-Up: the end of the season draws near, Wade Sundell is recovering from surgery, and a new WPCA world champion is crowned.
The time of year that competitors below the bubble — or running low on rodeos left in their count — dread is here. There is just a month left in the rodeo season for competitors hoping to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and Canadian Finals Rodeo, meaning tensions are high, bodies and minds are road-weary, and the clock is ticking.
Wade Sundell Recovering From Surgery After Lacerating Liver
The “Wild Man” Wade Sundell underwent surgery on August 24 after his bucking horse reared up in the chute, crushing Sundell and lacerating his liver. According to a PRCA press release, the reigning world champion was competing at the Rancho Mission Viejo Rodeo in San Juan Capistrano, California, when Cervi Brother’s “Living The High Life” smashed Sundell in the chest.
Sundell was assessed by the Justin Sportsmedicine Team before being taken to the hospital to undergo surgery that same evening. While the Wild Man has always been elusive on social media, his official “Fans Of Wade Sundell” fan page stated that their namesake was doing much better after surgery and would have an extended recovery ahead of him that would include multiple surgeries.
Clock Ticking On Canadian Professional Rodeo Association Season
Today marks exactly one month until the end of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association’s season, and that means competitors still hoping to secure a spot for the 2019 Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer, Alberta, have just a short schedule of events left to get it done.
| Rodeo | Location | Dates | Purse (Major Events) |
| Armstrong IPE & Stampede | Armstrong, BC | Aug. 28-31 | $91,000 |
| Finning Pro Tour Finals | Armstrong, BC | Sept. 1 | $96,000 |
| Nicola Valley Pro Rodeo | Merritt, BC | Aug. 31 - Sept. 1 | $24,800 |
| Medicine Lodge Fall Round Up | Medicine Lodge, AB | Sept. 7 | $10,500 |
| Oldstoberfest | Olds, AB | Sept. 13-14 | $32,000 |
| Dallas Sunstrum Memorial Pro Rodeo | Brooks, AB | Sept. 20-21 | $21,008 |
| Hanna Indoor Pro Rodeo | Hanna, AB | Sept. 27-29 | $14,700 |
Watch the 2019 Finning Pro Tour: Armstrong IPE & Stampede LIVE on FloRodeo August 28 to September 1. Click HERE to sign up.
True Cowboy: Haven Meged Isn’t Just An Arena Cowboy
Haven Meged may be qualifying for both his first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and Canadian Finals Rodeo at the moment — both facts headline-worthy for the Montana cowboy who’s turned a lot of heads in 2019 — but last week the 21-year-old made headlines when you proved that he’s not just a cowboy inside the arena.
On August 21, Meged won the Eastern Montana Fair Rodeo in Miles City, Montana (his hometown event); the next day, he was called in when a 4H calf had gotten loose from the fair and headed into town.
Meged went from star arena cowboy to ranch hand as he ran the calf down outside the Holy Rosary Hospital, causing quite a stir as he and fellow cowboy Brady Williams roped and eventually loaded the calf in a trailer to be returned to the owner.
Kurt Bensmiller Wins Fourth World Professional Chuckwagon Association World Title
Bensmiller won his fourth world title at the association’s inaugural trip to the Century Downs Racetrack and Casino. He also topped off his world title by winning the $50,000 Winners Zone Dash on the final day of competition at the new track.
Watch full replays of the Century Downs World Finals HERE.