There are a few things you can count on in the tie-down roping at the Ponoka Stampede. Peso, a little mud and Shane Hanchey. After the third performance of the 90th edition, you can add a new one to the list – Joel Harris.
Although the forecast rain held off Saturday afternoon, the overnight wet stuff made arena conditions a little sloppier than the dry day before. Which was right in Shane Hanchey’s wheelhouse.
“I’m from Louisiana, so I’ve had to rope in mud a lot growing up,” smiles the two-time Ponoka Stampede champion. He showed that by tying his first calf in the morning in 9.3 seconds, but then following up with an 8.1 second run in the afternoon.
“I’ve always had good luck here, for whatever reason. And I’ve always tried to ride the best horses,” adds Hanchey, who’s made sixteen trips to the NFR.
These days, Hanchey’s home is in Texas, and he’s traveling with the Harris brothers from there as well. Joel Harris also tied his afternoon calf at Ponoka in 8.1 seconds, and since he was a little faster than Hanchey in the morning, he’s the new leader on two runs with a 16.8 second total.
Both cowboys made their runs using the world-famous horse Peso, raised and trained by Logan Bird. Hanchey has had a long relationship with the Bird family and their top-notch roping horses. Peso doesn’t seem to mind a little mud either.
“I think Peso would work on Highway Two, if you put a chute out there, I really do,” joked Hanchey. “You don’t even have to put dirt down! He’s a winner, just like (former great Bird horse) TJ was a winner. Man, for that family to have two of the greatest horses to ever walk, calf roping-wise, that just goes to show you what they do to them down there in Nanton. I know Joel’s grateful and I’m grateful, to be able to ride them. We look forward to Canada Day, July first.”
This was the first time Harris has ridden Peso at Ponoka, although he’s collected plenty of cash with him at places like the NFR and Calgary.
“Any time you get on his back you just know he knows what y’all need to do,” says Harris.
The only Ponoka/Peso advice Hanchey had for Harris came from personal experience – don’t break the barrier! Harris listened and made sure to stay safe on the line.
“Why wouldn’t you listen to the guy who always wins it here? It’d be like not listening to Michael Jordan telling you how to shoot a basket!” grinned Harris. “I just know we’re going to be back over here for that short round with a good opportunity to leave here with a lot of money.”
Meanwhile, the fastest breakaway roping time of the day came from another member of the Bird family, when Jenna Dallyn finished up in four seconds flat. She’s now in third overall, with 8.1 seconds on two head. Jennifer Schuk of Athabasca is just ahead of her after she roped two in 7.7 seconds. The leader remains Falyn Thomson, with her 6.2 tally.
Steer wrestler Scott Guenthner muscled his way to the front of the line in his event Saturday at Ponoka, with runs of 4.1 and 4.8 seconds. Even though Guenthner claims this is definitely the sunset year for his long and successful career, runs at Ponoka’s long score still provide some heart-pounders.
“There was a moment where I was like ‘I have to jump and I’m hoping I’m catching this steer or I’m going to hit hard. It was a leap of faith because if not, they might be taking me out of here on a stretcher,” chuckles Guenthner, on his performance run. “I knew the steer was good on the ground. I just needed to catch him.”
“I feel like it’s going to be nicer to come back one more time to the Finals here before I retire from this sport. The last couple of years I’ve broken the barrier or had a wreck. It’s nice to get it back online.”
Guenthner and his traveling crew had an adventure en route to Ponoka from a rodeo in Fort Macleod, when a passing vehicle near Red Deer stayed by them and gestured at them.
“I thought they were giving me the finger and I was like ‘I don’t think I cut anyone off’, but they were pointing. I looked in my side mirror and my trailer was shooting flames out the side. The bearing in our trailer wheel went.”
There were five head of horses on board that had to be quickly taken out, when they got the rig stopped.
“We went for every ounce of fluid we had in the truck to get it put out the fire.”
With the help of a passerby, they limped into the local UFA and made alternate trailer arrangements for all.
“We got to here about 2:30 this morning and went to bed. We didn’t even come from Williams Lake, but it felt like we just drove from Williams Lake to get here,” he laughed.
The Cowboy Christmas travel crazy was in full view in the saddle bronc riding in Ponoka Saturday, where the leader board got a full makeover. Quentin Taylor came out and took the lead with an 86.5, but then Ben Andersen of Eckville was a point better to make his claim on the top with an 87.5. But it was short-lived, when three-time Ponoka, four-time World and six-time Canadian champion Zeke Thurston nodded his head for the Duane Kesler mount Perlichs Crown Jewel. Judges handed out an 88.25 and Thurston settles in at a familiar number one position. But there was a pilot waiting and moments later the trio and Kolby Wanchuk jumped in for a quick trip to Reno to compete in the Finals there.
Bareback rider Ty Taypotat has yet to win a Ponoka title in his successful career. But he secured a place in this year’s Finals with an 85.25 on Kesler’s Felton Angus Hot Shot, just a half point behind the leading score from Cooper Cooke.
“He’s a bucker,” comments Taypotat. “That’s an eliminating horse of the Kesler’s. He’s been in the E-pen the last three years at the NFR, and gets guys on the ground. He’s all there. That’s the horse I wanted here in the long run and it worked out.”
One more qualified bull ride is now on the list, after Jordan Spears of Idaho made his eight on Perlich Bros Fallen Angel for 82.5 points. He’s third with that, leaving Griffin Koester in front with his 85.
There was lots of movement in the team roping with plenty of solid runs. But when all was said and done, Derek Hadland of Ponoka and a two-time Ponoka winner, Jeremy Buhler, have the fastest tally on two head with 12.3 seconds.