Siksika hosts annual rodeo during fair
By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter
Tyler Lowey Photo
Junior and senior Native American contestants from all over descended to the Siksika Rodeo Arena for two days of competition as part of the annual Siksika Nation Fair.
Travis Maguire was the big winner in bull riding – his score of 65 held throughout the weekend and he took home $708.76. Maguire is now one spot back for the automatic bid into the Indian National Finals Rodeo (INFR) with $6,034.71 in winnings this season. Noah Wolf narrowly lost out on the first-place money with a ride of 64. Wolf still managed to pocket $586.56.
Marty Young Bear captured the saddle bronc with a ride of 68 that earned him $654. Cory Fox covered his horse for 66 points and $541.
In the bareback riding, Cam Bruisedhead set the bar high with a 72 and walked away with $654. He also occupies the second spot in the INFR standings, a little less than $5,000 behind the season leader Steven DeWolfe.
Chad Randle rode his horse to a 64 and won $541, while Jacoby John placed third with a 60 and walked away with $428.
Sterling Small was the big winner in the steer wrestling, as his incredibly quick time of 4.4 earned him $1,226. Nolan Conway was second with a time of 4.68, which paid out $1,015. Otys Little Mustache ranked third after two days with a 5.19 and $803.
The calves were sprightly all weekend and gave many tie-down ropers trouble. Appearing in his second event, Conway pulled off the only sub 10-second time with his run of 9.57 to win $1,281. He now sits third in the INFR standings with $4,561.12. Preston Watson placed second with his run of 10.12, which earned him $1,060. Gavaro Harrison took home $839 for his third-place time of 10.22.
The biggest money was dealt out in the team roping, as Ty St. Goddard and Roddy Not Afraid looped their steer in 5.83 seconds to claim the $1,859 purse. Shawn Bird and Spider Ramone took second and $1,616 in a time of 6.35, while Hoss Pepion and Ray Augare snagged third and $1,374 each for their run of 6.68.
The No. 1 heeler in the INFR standings, Casey Cummins, added to his season-leading total of $11,648.32 with his eighth-place finish with Dakota Louis in 10.6 seconds, earning them each $162.
In the barrels, Kayley Conway ripped off a speedy run of 16.093 to claim the $1,232. Cheyenne Black Water was behind her at 16.148 to take home $1,071. The No. 1 barrel racer in the INFR placed eighth, when Ginger Cohea added $108 to her season total of $13,078.78.
Conway also won the junior barrel racing with another fast time of 16.354 for another $639, while Cohea added $320 to her pile of winnings with a run of 16.620.
There was a tie for first in the junior steer riding, as Wilson Kennedy and Seth Saulteaux both recorded rides of 71, and they each walked away with $247.
The senior breakaway roping saw the closest finish of the weekend, when Darcy Dixon edged out Augare by two one-hundredths of a second. Dixon took first in 3.00 seconds to win the $914. Augare narrowly missed out at 3.02 and walked away with $755.
Frid England and Keith Tastey captured the senior team roping with a time of 7.34 to cash in the $893 each.
Ty Vaile was the champion in the junior breakaway roping with a lightning quick time of 2.85 to earn $470, as Devyn Campbell came in at 3.35 and $352 in second place.