They picked up the speed in the timed events during the second performance of the 89th annual Ponoka Stampede.
It was a particularly good day for Taylor Cherry. She now finds herself at or near the top in both her events.
The Claresholm cowgirl is making her first trip to Ponoka, and with a pair of breakaway roping runs in 3.3 and then 3.6 seconds, she leads the aggregate race (6.9 seconds) to return for the July first Finals. Plus, she also rounded the barrels in the best time of the afternoon at 17.68 seconds, to sit third in the barrel racing standings.
Not bad for a rookie pro, who’s also showcasing young horses.
“I’m on green horses,” says Cherry. “My breakaway horse is green as grass, and my barrel horse has been to some rodeos this year. But he’s green also, just coming off his futurity year last year, and he’s handling things really well.”
“Honestly, coming into Ponoka, I didn’t really have a lot of expectations. I just wanted to be smooth and clean, and that’s what I did.”
As a horse trainer who’s specialized in the futurity world, Cherry has confidence in both mounts, even though they’re only six years old. But it was encouraging to see them excel.
“On a big stage like this, and to perform like that, it makes a trainer feel good too. You feel like you’ve done your job somewhat right,” smiles Cherry.
Reata Schlosser was beaming after she posted the best time of the afternoon in the breakaway at 3.2 seconds, describing the long run down the alley as different than anything she’s ever done before.
“You’re going down there and listening for everyone saying ‘easy’ or ‘yea’ or ‘go’ or ‘pull’ and it’s incredible – there’s nothing like it,” says Schlosser, from Nanton.
“It’s a little bit of a different roping too. We’re used to roping them in a couple swings. At this one, you’ve got to time and read your cow a little better and get down there. You usually have to go a few more than two swings. It’s cowgirl up and get it done.”
Schlosser is tied for second in the aggregate standings with 7.4 seconds.
A long drive from Ponoka to the next rodeo was going to be a whole lot easier for one truck load of team ropers. Grady Quam and Logan Groves now sit on top of the leaderboard, with a solid 12.7 seconds on two runs.
“Shoot, it’s been a while since I’ve got two down here at Ponoka, so it feels good,” says Quam, the header. “I have to walk by my Dad’s Ponoka Stampede buckle every morning at the house, so it’s about time I try to get myself one too.”
Jeff Quam and Mel Coleman have their name on the wall at the Stagecoach Saloon for winning the team roping in 2006.
Groves handles the heeling duties, and while he and Quam lead overall, his younger brother Brody and partner Cody Tew were actually best in the performance with a 6.3 second time.
“Well, the rule in our rig is whoever’s slower drives, so I guess I’ve got the first shift to Williams Lake,” laughs Logan Groves.
“This is my fourth year at Ponoka and if we make the Finals, this will be my third time making it,” he adds.
“I needed some of that juju on my side,” says Quam, about their partnership this year.
Some Oklahoma traveling partners made their mark in the steer wrestling Thursday. Trisyn Kalawaia made two solid runs to take over the number one aggregate spot with 10.1 seconds. Hot on his heels is Chance Howard, who had the best run of the afternoon with a 4.7 second run, and is 11.0 on two.
“I like these kinds of setups when you run them down a lane,” says Kalawaia, who grew up on the beach in Hawaii. “It’s always exciting, lots of adrenalin and your blood’s pumping.”
He and several fellow bulldoggers flew in for the rodeo, having already arranged to use Canadian Stephen Culling’s horse.
“That horse is easy and super safe here and he tries his butt off. I’m thankful to Stephen for letting us on.”
Kalawaia had plenty of options for athletics growing up, but it wasn’t long before one took over.
“I’ve played a few different sports, but once I got into rodeo, I was so busy with it, I had time for nothing else.”
“I’m living the dream, and hopefully can make the NFR.”
Tie-down roper Jake Pratt of Texas had the smoothest run of Thursday’s performance, with 8.2 seconds. But he didn’t catch his first calf so won’t be back for the Finals. The cowboy who did take over the lead was Jesse Popescul of Saskatchewan, who made a pair of runs in 18.9 seconds.
“My brother finally let me back on this dun horse. I’m grateful for him,” says Popescul. “He kind of just keeps the horse at home. He’s getting older, and uses him sparingly. He works real good here at this setup.”
“He gets revved up running down that lane, just like everybody. Yea, just like me,” chuckles Popescul.
The riding event leaderboard stayed relatively untouched Thursday. California cowboy Tucker Bourdet sits fifth in saddle bronc riding after his 85.75 mark on Macza’s Grit Your Teeth. Minnesota’s Tanner Aus loves coming to Ponoka but isn’t sure if he’ll be back on Tuesday, after a pair of 82 scores. His first ride was wild but pretty much in the chute gate, so he was given another, but then earned the same score, which is in fourth spot so far.
Rookie Griffin Koester of Rockyford took over fourth in the bull riding on Macza’s Carharts and Lace with an 83.
“Everybody said he was a cool draw, so I was happy to have him,” says Koester, who doesn’t spend a lot of time studying his draws. “I like to find out when I nod my head. Sometimes you find yourself setting traps, thinking he’s going to do something. They’re still an animal, they can do whatever they want.”
“Last year, I took one to seven seconds here at Ponoka, so it feels really awesome to get one rode here.”