The RAM Rodeo Tour Championship Finals of
2022 was literally on fire, thanks to Off Kilter!
The ‘22 Finals, concluded our first full
rodeo season since 2019 which included 15 stops across Southern Ontario.
The Championships this year were held at
the state of the art facility, Ancaster Fairgrounds, featuring The Canadian
Cowgirls. The relocation of our
championships could not have been more positive. We saw standing room only crowds both
Saturday and Sunday.
Our top cowboys and cowgirls of the year
went head to head for over $50,000 in prize money, featuring three days of
competition, where we saw some incredibly fast times, and some top scoring
rides.
In the Ranchy Equestrian Ladies Pole
Bending, 2021 defending champion, Patsy Wells put up three 21 second runs to
win the weekend and to solidify her title as the number one ladies pole bender,
winning both the weekend and the year end titles.
We had a record number of Jr Steer riders
qualify for the finals, largely in part of the very successful Dickie’s
Workwear Build-A-Cowboy program where we saw 5 cowboys battle it out for the
top honours. But, it was 13 year old
Noah Van Every, who covered two of his three steers, that was awarded the title
of top Jr Steer rider, winning both year end and weekend honours.
Silver Spurs Medical Novice Bucking Horses
was a battle of bareback vs saddle bronc riders, Friday was one for the boys,
all four bronc riders covered their horses, and the competition would get
serious, as it was anyone’s weekend to lose.
2021 defending champion, bareback rider Chase Strongman rode for 6
seconds all three days, and was crowned the weekend winner, with year end title
given to saddle bronc rider Peter Mast.
The future stars of rodeo, the Bilby Ranch
Jr Barrel racers, were putting up some seriously fast times this year, often
times just as fast or faster than the open ladies. The finals were no different. 2021 defending champion, and top jr barrel
racer going into the finals, Breanna Linders won the average for the weekend,
and was named the year end winner as well.
The crowd favourite, MacInnis
Construction’s Rescue Race competitors did not disappoint. In our only team event, we saw Andrew
Deschamps and Tory Fry bump the season leaders, Cruz Villegas and Cheyenne Kerr
from the top spot. Team Andrew and Tory
took home the top nod for both year end and weekend champions.
Saddlebronc horses came out firing during
finals weekend. It was a battle all
summer long for who would be the number one saddle bronc rider, and it was a
close race right until the very end.
2021 defending champion Gideon Stutzman, rode for the eight all three
days of finals weekend and earned the titles of both year end and weekend
champ.
The classic event of rodeo, Bareback, saw
two cowboys go head to head for bareback champion of the year. Trevor Van Alstine won the average for the
weekend, covering all three of his horses, but it was Chase Park, who in his
first year of riding bareback won the year end title.
The Bilby Ranch youth pole bending was
nothing short of tremendous, the cowgirls consistently put up clean and fast
runs all weekend, but taking the title of top youth pole bender was three event
finalist, Shaylynn Cornish The 2021
defending champion, won the weekend average with three 21 second runs and also
won the year end title.
The fastest event of rodeo, Knabe Equine
Veterinary Services Ladies Barrel Racing had us all on the edge of our seats,
wondering who would be the 2022 champion.
Number one girl, Deirdre Smullen was edged out by Patsy Wells and her
horse King Beau on the final day of competition. Patsy put up three clean and fast runs for
the weekend to not only win the weekend average, but to also put her into the
top spot for year end champ.
And of course, the world’s toughest sport,
The Kicking Cowboy Designs Bull Riding.
With over $8,000 on the line, which cowboy was going to prove that he
was number one? Over the weekend we saw some great rides and some great scores
including Tyler Ewart winning Saturday night’s performance with a score of 79.
But ultimately it was 2021 defending champion, Bret Timmermans who won both the
weekend, riding two of his three bulls and the year end championship.
We want to congratulate all of our
competitors on a great season, and to our champions, your hard work and
dedication really showed this year.
The RAM Rodeo Tour is gearing up for its
25th season in 2023, and none of it would be possible without the help of our
sponsors, committees, staff, dedicated fans and of course the cowboys and
cowgirls.
Until next year, Happy Trails!
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