Two more nights. It's been almost six weeks since I rode last now and it seems like it hasn't been that long at all! Shoot, there's only two more weeks of classes left after this week too. I've been working with a thera-band to help strengthen up my wrist every morning and night for a while now too. Also watching a bunch of videos of some great bull rides to keep my mind sharp so I can jump back on after the break like I've been riding the whole time. I ordered a new rope a couple weeks ago too that should be a bit easier on my wrist. I'm hoping it gets here in time. Since it's coming from a way away though I'm not sure if it will or not.
I hope you are all as excited for CNCFR as I am! Just three days away! The hardest part of this whole week is containing my excitement and nerves. It tends to be hard to focus during class because all I want to do is think about rodeo. I will continually go through runs in my head all day – when I should be focusing on school. It’s so difficult! It sure doesn’t take much to get behind in a University course, but these three days leading up to CNCFR are pretty important too!
Well this past week was really great. I went to school Monday and after school at about midnight my brother and I drove over to the airport to fly to Toronto overnight. Once we woke up the next morning there we met up with our parents and slept a couple hours until we hopped on the next plan down to Samana in the Dominican Republic. Once we got there we took it easy and really enjoyed the time off from everything! Thursday was the day of the wedding and it was outstanding too. Friday we all went out for a day on a boat ride. I don't know much about boats but it was really fun. We sailed for a couple hours, went snorkeling then stopped on an island and had lunch before heading back at the end of the day.
Saturday I headed home in time to sleep for a few hours then head up to the first CPRA Rodeo of the Year in Camrose, AB on Sunday. Armando Davila Rodriguez, our 2011 CIRA Champion Bull Rider was competing but didn't have any luck. A few other contestants from the CIRA were also part of the event in Camrose and will be looking to make their way to this year's CFR.
The CIRA Season wrapped up Sunday in Vermillion as well. Congratulations to all of this year's finalists. The AGM also took place there over the weekend and I'd like to congratulate fellow blogger Nicole Briggs on being elected as our 2012/2013 President!
It's just over a week until we all make our way to Edmonton now. I get my brace made for my wrist tomorrow. I'm looking forward to riding again! See you all at Northlands soon! And remember if you need any tickets, check out Ticketmaster.ca/schools and use the promo code UOFC to help my school with the scholarships! You get 20% off all the tickets you buy too so I encourage you to get a bunch!
It is hard to believe that this year’s college rodeo season is complete. We wrapped up the season at Little Royal this past weekend at Lakeland College in Vermilion. This is one of my favourite rodeo’s of the season. Little Royal has been going on for some time now. My Grandpa enjoys telling me stories about how he used to show dairy cattle at Little Royal when he attended Lakeland College. So, I find it pretty neat that Little Royal is still going after all these years!
Being the last rodeo of the season, all contestants were going hard trying to make finals. Those sitting in the top ten were working hard to stay there, and those sitting in the 11th and 12th position were trying to sneak their way in (myself being one of them). I was sitting in tenth position in the team roping and tied for eleventh in the pole bending. It was “make it” or “break it!”
The Saturday performance started off with pole bending. I had one of my best runs of the season with a 22.1 second run, good enough for a fourth place finish! During the performance I had breakaway roping. At this point I knew that I was going to make finals and decided to make a run for season leader. I ended up winning the round catching in just over 5 seconds! This was my first go round win at a rodeo ever, so I was pretty excited. The day finished off with a knocked barrel in the barrel racing, a 8th place finishing in goat tying and unfortunately a no time in the team roping bumping us down to 11th place in the standings.
Sunday was the final performance. All I had to do was keep my poles standing and I knew we would make finals. I was the last pole bender for the day. I had a smooth run, left all poles standing and made just enough points to sneak into tenth place for the season! I split 3rd place in the breakaway roping, 5th place in the barrel racing and had a rough go in the team roping and goat tying. At the end of the day I ended up qualifying for the CNCFR in Pole Bending, Breakaway Roping and Goat Tying! Now only one more week until we are in Edmonton for the CNCFR!
Even though I haven't ridden now in nearly a month, things have still been very busy and I seem to end up at a rodeo or bull riding every weekend anyway. This weekend was a bit different, well on Friday it was anyway. I made my way up to the 2012 Horseshoe Cup in Big Valley, AB where the puck dropped at 7 p.m. The Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) Cowboys played the World Professional Chuckwagon Association (WPCA) Wagon Drivers and the CPRA Cowgirls played the WPCA Wagon Girls five as well. All the proceeds from the night's games, silent and live auctions and cabaret went to the Edmonton Rodeo Cowboy's Benevolent Foundation. This foundation provides financial assistance to injured cowboys and their families.
It is crazy to think we only have two more rodeos left until the CNCFR! I spent the Thursday and Friday before the rodeo practicing for the weekend. I am pretty sure I tied more goats in those two days then I have in my entire life! Each day was close to 12 full hours of practice. Once we reached Vermilion Saturday morning, for the double header, I was so sore I could barely even get out of the truck to go pay entries! Looks like I may have to start working out a little harder to stay in shape. I still managed to rope both my breakaway calves and was quick enough in goats and pole bending to make some points. I am still sitting in the top ten in all of my events except barrel racing! Now I just have to work hard and stay there during the last two rodeos of the season.
I haven't ridden now since Vermillion. This past week I saw my chiropractor to get re-adjusted and get my wrist checked out as well. He said something about a "lunate." I'm really not sure what that means but I think it has something to do the tendons and ligaments in my wrist there. There are a whole bunch of bones in our wrists so they said a lot can be happening in there. Something is torn or out of place enough so that I don't have the strength I need to feel comfortable riding.
Instead of hitting the beach this past reading week, I hit the arena and did it pay off! Practicing is one of the most important parts to this sport, especially in the events I compete in, and having the entire week to do so was wonderful! This past Saturday was the first rodeo at Lakeland College in Vermillion and the first double header of the year. These double headers consist of running two full rodeos in one day. I competed in 4 events: pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping and barrel racing.
A couple weeks ago in Olds, Alta. we started off the 2012 season of college rodeo in Canada. We didn't have any rodeos in the fall this year but that doesn't mean we can't catch up this spring. It was quite the weekend though and we had a great event in Olds as they always do great things for the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA).
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