Danger doesn’t deter Durazo

By Laurence Heinen Times Contributor

Seeing his fellow competitors getting bucked off their bulls didn’t deter Edgar Durazo from doing his job on Sunday.

As the last competitor out of the chutes on the third afternoon of the 2023 Strathmore Stampede rodeo, Durazo watched on as eight of his fellow riders were thrown off of their bovine counterparts. 

“They do a great job bringing in a rank pen of bulls,” said Durazo, who subsequently went jump-for-jump with Vold Rodeo’s Wild Time to earn a score of 89.5 points from the judges. “If you get one ride like just now, it’s huge. He’s an outstanding bull and really fun to ride.”

Stock contractor Nansen Vold was pleased to see Durazo succeed atop one of his prized bulls.

“When Edgar gets on, he’s one of the best guys I know,” said Vold, who was also happy to watch his other bulls get the better of Durazo’s competition. “We had the best bulls we got here. That’s what we shoot for at this Strathmore rodeo.”

Durazo knew that his wild ride would be good enough to win his second Strathmore Stampede title. 

“You know if you rode one of Nansen’s, you’re going to win,” said the 31-year-old thrill seeker, who also won in Strathmore in 2021 before finishing second behind Jordan Hansen last year.

Following the completion of the four-day rodeo on Monday, Durazo’s performance atop Wild Time did, indeed, stand up as the winning score to earn him a payday of $7,547.26

Originally from Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico, Durazo now makes his home in the community surrounding Speargrass Golf Course, which is just a 15-minute drive south of Strathmore.

“It’s my hometown rodeo now,” Durazo proclaimed. “I’ve got to know a lot of people over the years. I’m in love with this town. We’re more than grateful to be here.”

While Durazo won for the second time, bareback rider Clint Laye scored 87.75 points atop Dancing Queen on Monday to add another Strathmore Stampede title to the ones he won in 2019 and 2021.

“I really like the atmosphere here,” said Laye, of Cadogan, Alta., whose impressive performance boosted his bank account by $5,685.12. “It’s pretty traditional. They treat the cowboys really good here and always have good crowds. They’ve got the best stock. This is my favourite rodeo in Canada, for sure.”

After seeing Texas cowboy Rocker Steiner score 87.25 points aboard Fancy, Laye knew he had to up his game when he got aboard Dancing Queen in the chutes.

“Oh yeah, that fired me up,” said Laye, whose performance vaulted him into the lead ahead of both Steiner and Strawbs Jones, of Duffield, Alta. “With the group of guys just getting ready today and the lineup of horses, I knew it was going to be fun and lots of good bareback riding. I love that about this sport.”

Like Durazo, Logan Hay won his first title in Strathmore in 2021 and followed it up with a second-place showing last year.

The saddle-bronc rider replicated Durazo’s feat this year by winning his second crown thanks to his stellar 89-point ride on Monday atop Elvira, which earned him a cheque for $6,632.64.

“Strathmore’s been a great rodeo for me ever since my rookie year,” said Hay, whose brother Dawson won the saddle-bronc event in Strathmore in 2019. “I’ve always had luck here. I haven’t been under 87 points ever since I’ve been here so it’s been a great rodeo for me. 

“Usually, I’ve done well in Strathmore and I can kind of keep it rolling for the rest of the year. I love it and it’s definitely one of my favorite rodeos.”

Similar to Durazo, Beau Cooper had to wait until Monday night to find out if his performance on Sunday was good enough to win it all in Strathmore.

Cooper, of Stettler, Alta., stopped the clock in a respectable time of 8.3 seconds to take the lead in the tie-down roping competition and his time managed to stand up as the best of the four-day show to earn him $6,218.10.

“It’s pretty cool to be here at home in Alberta and have a lot of success,” said Cooper, who also won the Calgary Stampede tie-down roping title in mid-July. “It’s been crazy since about the middle of June. I’ve had more success than I’ve ever had. I can’t thank anybody but my family and my horse (Seven). It’s all God’s plan what he wants to happen. I’m just having so much fun and loving life and loving rodeo right now.”

Meanwhile, Harley Cole, of nearby Okotoks, Alta., won his first steer-wrestling title in Strathmore by virtue of his 3.5-second clocking on Monday.

“It hasn’t been going my way lately except for today,” said Cole, who was happy to take home $6,345 for his efforts. “What a place for it to happen for me.”

Saskatchewan-based team ropers Brady Chappel of Moose Jaw and Tee McLeod of Waldeck roped their calf in five seconds flat on Monday to earn them a payday of $4,779.90 each.

Chelsea Moore, of Pouce Coupe, B.C., stopped the clock in 2.8 seconds to finish as the top ladies breakaway roping competitor to take home $2,732.58, while Stevi Hillman, of Grandbury, Tex., set the standard of 17.06 seconds in the ladies barrel racing event to win $6,890.20.

William Hale, of Bassano, Alta., posted a score of 71.25 points to win the boys steer-riding competition and a payday of $1,416.20.

“It feels pretty good,” Hale said. “I’ve been waiting to come to this for awhile.”

Meanwhile, Denver Leitch, of Grimshaw, Alta., won the novice bareback event with a score of 69 points to take home $900.16 and James Perrin, of Maple Creek, Sask., defended his novice saddle bronc title thanks to a 76-point ride, which earned him $990.18.