Zeke Thurston. (Covy Moore)

By CPRA

Las Vegas

Maple Leaf flying at Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

Dec 15, 2023 | 4:21 PM

It was Canada Night. And Captain Canada did what he has done so often at the WNFR over the last four years.

Zeke Thurston was one of three men to split the eighth round with 87.5 points, each of them collecting $24,433. The Alberta superstar had Frontier Rodeo’s 832 Yellowstone to share the win with his closest rival Sage Newman in the battle for the world title. Newman drew Three Hills Rodeo’s N20 Devil’s Advocate for his ride while the third member of the winning trio, Brody Cress was on Corey and Lang’s 532 Monster.

It shakes down like this. Thurston came into the night leading Newman by $300.00. When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, his lead—still $300.00. But the Canadian’s advantage as he goes after his fourth Gold Buckle is in the all-important aggregate where he sits first, and Newman is back in seventh spot. Another Canadian, Dawson Hay, picked up some hard-earned cash in an all-Canadian partnership as he teamed with the Calgary Stampede’s W-1 Weekend Departure for 86 points and a 5/6 split in the round, good for $6438.

And speaking of Canadians, the Canadian flags that are so much in evidence at the Thomas and Mack were working overtime in the bull riding when both Canadians, Jordan Hansen and Jared Parsonage hit the pay window. Hansen, the three-time NFR qualifier from Amisk, Alberta was a sensational 88 points on Big Rafter Rodeo’s -65 Silver Bullet for a two-three split and $21,296.

“I’ve been on that bull before and he bucked me off. He gives a lot of guys grief but luckily it worked out tonight. I’ve had some luck on Canada Night before (Hansen won a round on a previous WNFR Canada Night) so I definitely wanted to do that again. I stayed on my bull so things are good.”

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The other 88 was posted by seven-time World Champion Sage Kimzey on Ward Macza’s 685 Red Lipstick. Parsonage, the pride of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, rode for 83 points on Legacy Pro Rodeo’s 42 Razzmatazz for a sixth-place cheque of $4953. But more importantly the two-time Canadian Champion moved up one spot to fourth in the ultra-lucrative aggregate. The round winner was Tristen Hutchings riding his first bull of the finals for 89 points and the win. Australian Ky Hamilton has all but clinched the title as he has amassed $516,666 with just two rounds remaining.

The bareback riding continues to be rookie Keenan Hayes’ title to lose. In round 8 he split sixth and continues to be second in the aggregate while maintaining his commanding overall lead. It was defending champion Jess Pope, a three-time aggregate winner, who won the round with an 88.5 on Championship Pro Rodeo’s Q52 The Crow to be back in his customary spot as the aggregate leader. On Canada Night the Manitoba product, Orin Larsen, saw his struggles continue. Larsen has been battling as he always does but the 2019 Canadian Champion is feeling the effects of the beating his body has taken through the first eight rounds of WNFR ’65.

First man out in the steer wrestling was season leader Dalton Massey who just a month ago was at his first CFR but on this night it was all the Oregonian could do to avert disaster on a bad steer. And while he didn’t place in the round and fell to eighth spot in the aggregate, the guys who were closest to him didn’t win enough to close much ground on Massey who remains #1 overall. Bridger Anderson won his second go round at the Thomas and Mack with a lightning fast 3.3 seconds. Canadian Stephen Culling continues to enjoy his first trip to the WNFR as he added a fifth-place cheque for $7924 in the round to what he has won so far. Culling has placed in five of eight rounds and sits sixth in the aggregate.

The team roping continues to be a dogfight as just $240 separates the top two headers and less than $18,000 separates the top three with Clint Summers on top. And on the heeling side the numbers are similar with Wesley Thorp sitting at the top of the world standings. Round eight was won by Thorp and his heading partner, Tyler Wade with a blistering 3.3. The Canadian connection in the team roping. 2016 World Champion, and his header, Utah and Rhen Richard, took a no-time on this night to fall to ninth in the aggregate and eleventh in the world.

The action in the tie down roping remained hot in round eight as 12 time WNFR qualifier Hunter Herrin took top honours with a 7.4 second run. But the lead remains in the hands of 20-year-old Riley Webb who has been in top spot throughout the season and is about $60,000 ahead of closest contender Haven Meged. Both men picked up cheques tonight – Meged was third with a 7.7 while Webb earned fourth with 8.0. Meged leads the aggregate with 60.90 seconds on eight calves with Webb right behind with 63.70 on eight. It will come down to the last two days of WNFR action to determine the champion. And despite changing his hat, his clothes and his horse (to Logan Bird’s award-winning Peso), it was not Beau Cooper’s night. The Settler, AB hand had his calf get up for a no time.

What a night in the barrel racing. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi ran her personal best time in the Thomas and Mack in 17 appearances – a blazing 13.34 on the Blazin Jetolena super horse, Benny for second place. The two time World Champion, who just set an All Time Seasons Earnings Record, has a massive lead in the world standings and sits atop the aggregate leaderboard as well. Three time NFR qualifier Kassie Mowry earned her first round win of the week with a 13.30, the fastest time so far at WNFR ’65.

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