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.
The infield entertainment continues to wow the crowd with their specialty horse riding tricks. Rae Lynn Armstrong leads the team through these fast-paced stunts.
Logan Hay of Wildwood was bucked off Blue Moon during day five of the Ponoka Stampede. Only pair of cowboys were able to squeeze into the top 12 spot with Taos Muncy being one and world champ Zeke Thurston just making it in.
The champion team roper team of Levi Simpson and Jeremy Buhler faced some serious competition on Saturday’s performance but the pair managed to land in the sixth spot with a combined total of 14.3 seconds. Here Simpson pulls a calf towards his horse.
Ponoka and Lacombe team roping pair Tyrel Gordon (heeler) and Tel Flewelling also managed to remain in the top 12 with total time of 14.6 seconds, just behind Levi Simpson and Jeremy Buhler. These combined photos show Flewelling on the top and Gordon in the bottom frame.
Barrel racer Rene LeClerq of Holden squeezed herself in the 12th spot of the barrel racing line up with a time of 17.858 seconds. The next fastest time is a close one with 17.853 seconds by Taylor Shields.
Jacob Gardner of Dawson Creek, B.C. gets bucked off by Director Assistant during the Saturday performance. There remains eight qualified rides in the bull riding event with everyone on Saturday being bucked.
