Canadian Finals Rodeo XX hugely successful

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The 20th Canadian Finals Rodeo at Edmonton's Northlands Coliseum was hailed by organizers and cowboys alike as the most successful yet.

The crowd for the Sunday performance didn't push the total attendance over 80,000, as promoters had hoped. But the numbers were still higher than the 1992 CFR, the most successful up till this year.

Fan favorite bull rider Daryl Mills of Pink Mountain, B.C. provided several good shows. Milles rode a huge, tawny bull called Tidal Wave, owned by Vold Rodeo Ltd.,

on Saturday night.

It was the same bull that ended the competition for Jay Soukup of Eckville, Alta, on Thursday night, by inflicting him with the worst injury of the week.

With Soukup and the week's biggest crowd looking on, Mills mastered the ton of myscle and hormones, scoring a hot 91 points and setting a CRF record for consecutive successful rides at 17.

After the standing ovation, Mills gave the prize money, nearly $3,500 for the ride, to Soukop. It was the most electric moment of the CFR.

But Sunday afternoon Mills rode Sugar Ray, a bull unridden in 1993. Sugar Ray, also owned by Vold Rodeo, was too much for the man from Pink Mountain. The crowd sagged as he was thrown, ending his record string (but keeping Sugar Ray's streak of 33 successful rides alive.)

Mills tipped his hat to the bull and left with second place. Wayde Joyal of Calgary was bucked off as well on Sunday, but his commanding lead built during the first three go-rounds was just enough as he edged Mills by five points for the championship.

Lowell Johnston of Oyen, Alta., hung on for third place and Glen Keeley of Nanton, Alta., finished fourth. Rookie Rick Henderson, a Metis rancher originally from Shell Lake, Sask, had a tough week and finished out of the money.

The best moments of the last go-round were provided by Edmonontian Roger LaCasse in the bareback riding.

Montreal-born LaCasse, who came west to become a rodeo cowboy, rode Greg Kesler's Three Stars Skoal to earn 82 points. Afer a few seconds, the horse stopped and seemed ready to roll, but LaCasse stayed up, brought the horse to its feet and earned the biggest cheer of the afernoon.

It was enough to push LaCasse into fourth place over the week, 25 points behind winner Darrell Cholach of Okotoks, Alta., who came into the final go-round in first place and stayed there.

Canadian Professional Rodeo Association president Jim Dunn of Airdrie, Alta., and Robin Burwash, also of Okotoks, finished tied for second five points back.

Kenton Randle of Fort Vermilion, last year's Indian Rodeo Cowboy Association champion in the event, qualified for the CFR in his first full year as a pro on the big circuit.

The heavy equipment operator took home some money in the second and third go-rounds, finishing tied for third and fourth on Thursday and Friday, but injuries limited his effectiveness, especially later in the week.

Rod Hay of Mayerthorpe came into the final day guaranteed first in the saddle bronc. He'd finished first or tied for first in the first four go-rounds, building a huge 100-point lead over Guy Shapka of Alix, Alta., and 75 over Rod's older brother Denny. Rod won the final go-round as well, capping a brilliant week. Denny placed second and Shpka stayed in third.

In other adult events Daren Ziffle of Consort, Alta, won the calf roping, Blaine Pederson of Amisk, Alta., won the steer wrestling and 17 year old Nikki Ree of Bentley, Ata., won the ladies barrel racing.

The two novice events winners were Davey Shields of Hanna, Alta., in the bareback riding, and Chrisopher Bews of Longview, Alta., in the saddle bronc.