PRO RODEO CANADA NEWS RELEASES, ANNOUNCEMENTS and STORIES
|
| Please refresh your browser to view latest data. |
| |
Big Move For Brett Williams at Buffalo Lake Tour Rodeo |
| |
May 27, 2024 l Airdrie, AB
For immediate release
Game Changer? How about Career Changer.
The text came in the middle of the night to Nanton, Alberta bareback rider Brett Williams from travelling partner, Wyatt Maines. Maines had news. Big news.
“I woke up about four in the morning and saw that text telling me I had drawn Virgil at Buffalo Lake. I didn’t get a lot of sleep after that,” confided Williams. Not surprisingly, there was an immediate mix of feelings. “There was excitement for sure, some fear and, most of all, knowing that I had been given an opportunity. The fear part … I just didn’t want to waste that opportunity.” (C5 Rodeo's F-13 Virgil is a World, Canadian, CFR and NFR Champion bareback horse). |
 |
The Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement Pro Rodeo (Gateway to the North) is the first stop on the SMS Equipment Pro Rodeo Tour and Williams definitely did not miss his chance. The 28 year-old rancher/bareback rider was 89.5 points for a $2658 first-place cheque and a big jump in the standings from 15th entering the weekend to solidly inside the top ten.
“It’s incredible. He’s a pretty special horse,” Williams added. “You don’t get a lot of time to think during the ride—you just have to trust your body and let it react. I’ve been on lots of horses and none of them felt like him.”
And as one might expect, the Williams family was pretty excited as they watched the ride on the Cowboy Channel including Grandpa Don Williams who is a former Chair of the Stavely Pro Rodeo.
“I think I got the call from him almost before I got my riding glove off,” the younger Williams laughed.
It hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the southern Alberta competitor. After a CCA (semi-pro) career, Williams’ intention was to start rodeoing hard at the pro level but along came COVID, which put a whoa on that plan. Then last year, a broken leg and subsequent the surgery and plate and screws that followed resulted in pretty well an entire season lost. All of which makes what happened in Buffalo Lake more impactful.
“I was talking with Vern (McDonald) after the ride and he said you have no idea how much you just changed your career after riding that horse.” And the stock contractor is absolutely right. The immediate impact will hopefully be the shot in the arm Williams needs for a trip to Edmonton in October.
“Yeah, one hundred per cent. The Canadian Finals Rodeo—that’s the plan.”
One thing is for sure. Williams’ new best friend—the much-decorated gray called Virgil—will be at the CFR. Who knows, maybe they can renew acquaintances. |
Brett Williams wasn’t the only newer name on the results board from Buffalo Lake. Second generation cowboy, Chase Tkach, captured the steer wrestling honours with a blistering 3.3 second run. The Coronation, AB hand (dad Doug Tkatch was a CPRA bareback rider) who is attending New Mexico Junior College on a rodeo scholarship took home a tidy $2944 with the win.
For all of the success stories from the weekend, along with complete unofficial results, check out rodeocanada.com
The CPRA season begins to heat up with three Alberta rodeos this week including SMS Equipment Tour rodeo #2, at Grande Prairie May 30-June 2, and Maple Leaf Circuit stops at Leduc May 30-June 1 and Hand Hills June 1-2. |
The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) with headquarters in Airdrie, Alberta is the official sanctioning body for Professional Rodeo in Canada. The CPRA approves 55 events annually with a total payout exceeding $6.8 million. The organization oversees the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Finals Labour Day weekend in Armstrong, BC, holds their premiere event – the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) – at Rogers Place in Edmonton, AB October 2-5 and endorses the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals as part of Canadian Western Agribition in Regina, SK in November. Follow the CPRA on Facebook @prorodeocanadaofficial, on Instagram @prorodeocanada_cpra, on X @prorodeocanada or online at RodeoCanada.com.
For more information:
Barb Poulsen
CPRA Communications and Media
Phone: 403 625-9225
Email: media@rodeocanada.com |
 Editorial Note: The information within this release is provided by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) and is intended for media use. If you use any of the following information verbatim in your publication, or broadcast the details via radio or television, please note that the information is courtesy of the CPRA. * Photos are copyright protected and must not be copied, shared or otherwise disbributed without permission of the CPRA. |
CANADIAN PROFESSIONAL RODEO ASSOCIATION
~
2024 NEWS RELEASES and ANNOUNCEMENTS ~ |
| JANUARY |
AUGUST |
| * CPRA Welcomes New CRES Mgr |
* Anderson and Cooper Cash In |
| MARCH |
* Field of Dreams Stampede Lives Up to Name |
| * New Pro Rodeo Canada Partner |
* Veterans Show the Way |
| APRIL |
* Remembering Jasper Pro Rodeo |
| * New CPRA Rodeo Administrator Tanner Girletz |
* Late Season Drama |
| * CPRA-Troy Fischer Silverworks Extend Agreement |
* Lethbridge and Okotoks Rodeo Highlights |
| * Strong Start to Season for Pascal Isabelle |
SEPTEMBER |
| * CPRA Rodeos Added to Cowboy Channel |
* SMS Pro Tour-Labour Day Weekend Highlights |
| * Tanner Milan and Eddie - Powerful Partnership |
* Inching Closer to a CFR Berth |
| * Big Weekend for Jacob Gardner |
* CPRA Year End Award Winners |
| MAY |
* CPRA 2023 Stock Awards |
| * 2023 SMS Equipment Pro Tour Kicks Off |
OCTOBER |
| * Consistent Spring for Logan Bird/Falkland, BC |
* End of Season Wrap-Up |
| * Tim Kemp Among Buffalo Lake Winners |
* 2023 Canadian Finals Rodeo Personnel |
| JUNE |
* CFR Moving to Edmonton in 2024 |
| * Grande Prairie, Leduc and Hand Hills Highlights |
NOVEMBER |
| * Lea Park, Rocky, Bonnyville, Brooks Highlights |
* CFR Performance One Highlights |
| * Innisfail, Stavely, Wildwood Overview |
* Bounce-Back Night at CFR '49 |
| * Wainwright, Sundre, High River, Bassano Wrap |
* 2023 Canadian Finals Rodeo Highlights/Results |
| JULY |
DECEMBER |
| * Benalto Overview |
* KAILANI Sports and CPRA Announce Partnership |
| * Midway Season Highlights |
|
| * Bringing the Summer Heat |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
