Rookie jitters were clearly not a factor as Stettler, Alberta tie down roper, Beau Cooper, won the opening round at CFR ’48 with a blistering 7.7 second run. 

“I didn’t think I was going to be 7.7,” Cooper acknowledged. “But I just knew if I did my job, it would work out.” 

The 21-year-old noted that he benefited from being just 45 minutes from home, “I had some school buddies as well as family here tonight. I had some nerves but you have to control them and make the best of it. I couldn’t wait to run that first calf.”' 

In the ladies barrel racing, 18 year old Taylor Manning was off to a strong start. The five-time CFR qualifier enjoyed the round one win with a 13.70 second run. 

And in the steer wrestling event, 2014 Canadian Champion, Tanner Milan, earned top honors with a 3.8 second run. 

The 2021 Reserve Saddle Bronc Champion Kole Ashbacher made the most of performance number one as he matched up with converted bareback horse, 664 Western Star from Legend Rodeo for 85.25 points and the $8,402.36 payout. The Saddle Bronc race tightened when season leader, Logan Hay, bucked off Calgary Stampede’s B-26 Business Girl—a horse he had been 91 points on earlier in the season. 

Other round winners included team ropers Riley Wilson and Grady Quam; the duo posted a 4.7 for the win. For the veteran, Wilson, it was his first go-round win since 2010. The bareback riding saw Nanton, Alberta’s Ty Taypotat claim top spot with 86 points on Duffy Rodeo’s 212 You Never Know. 

Travelling partners, Jared Parsonage and Jordan Hansen, split the round in the bull riding with identical 86 point rides. Both cowboys are former Canadian Champions and were the only two successful riders on the night. Hansen was aboard Vold Rodeo’s 54 Cafish while Parsonage made the eight second buzzer on the back of another Vold bull, 539 Jayded. 

In the novice bareback, Blake Link of Maple Creek, SK was the top gun with a 78.75 point ride while Tyrel Roberts from Charlie Lake, BC was 78.25 en route to the win in the novice saddle bronc. In the junior steer riding, Claresholm, Alberta’s Hayden Mackay put together a 75.50 point ride for the go-round win. 

For complete results, go to rodeocanada.com
 

Round two of CFR ’48 gets underway at 6 pm Thursday evening at the Peavey Mart Centrium, Westerner Park in Red Deer.