Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alberta maintained his lead in the men’s saddle bronc at the 2022 Calgary Stampede. On Saturday, Thurston posted a top score of 85 points, and had one more point than Sage Newman of Melstone, Montana and Kole Ashbacher of Arrowhead, Alberta, who were tied for second place with 84 points.
Thurston also had the best score in the men’s saddle bronc on Friday. There he posted a score of 89.5 points. After two days, Thurston leads the aggregate standings with $11,000. The 27-year-old has won the Calgary Stampede three times in the past. The wins came in three straight years from 2015 to 2017.
By finishing in second place on Saturday, Aschbacher moved into fourth place in the Pool A standings. Newman is in second place overall and Ross Griffin of Tularosa, New Mexico is in third place.
Thurston is one of two Canadian cowboys that lead the aggregate standings. Cody Cassidy of Donalda, Alberta is leading the steer wrestling with $6500 after finishing second on Saturday to Dirk Tavenner of Rigby, Idaho.
In ladies barrel racing, Bertina Olafson of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan had the third best time of 17.61 seconds and is second in the Pool A standings with $7,000. In the bareback, Clint Laye of Cadogan, Alberta moved into fourth place in the Pool A standings after posting the best score on Saturday. Laye, as well as Americans Tim O’Connell of Zwingle, Iowa, and RC Landingham of Hat Creek, California each posted scores of 86 points. In the bull riding, Jared Parsonage of Maple Creek, Saskatchewan posted a score of 84.5 points, the second most points on Saturday. Parsonage is now fourth overall in the Pool A standings with $4500. In tie-down roping, Logan Bird of Nanton, Alberta had the third best time on Saturday with 9.6 seconds, and is third in the Pool A standings with $6500.
Meanwhile in the chuckwagon racing, Chad Fike of Cremona, Alberta had the fastest time of 1:12.81. He also has the fastest aggregate time after two days of 2:27.43.
