VERMILLION, Alberta — One of the most fun bull ridings of the year takes place each spring/winter (whatever we actually call this time of year when there’s still snow on the ground) in Vermillion, Alberta held by Lakeland College.
In conjunction with the school is the bull riding school taught by the Johansen Brothers and Scott Schiffner along with the bull fighting school taught by Scott Byrne and Curtis Smyth.
This year’s Lakeland College Bull Riding presented by ATB Financial is sanctioned by the Canadian Pro Rodeo Association and counts towards qualifying for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, AB from November 5th to 9th, 2014.
With one bull riding already in the books from Claresholm, AB on March 8th, Jesse Torkelson leads the Canadian standings with over $4,000 won. A bull rider here at the second stop of the year could win upwards of $9,000. If Torkelson were to win here he could nearly have the finals made two events in. You see, there’s $20,000 in added prize money up on Saturday night. Only a few rodeos pay that much all year so this is a huge event for all involved.
This is one CPRA event you won’t want to miss in 2014. For tickets and more information view the poster below or contact Lee MacMillan at 780-584-5421
All the proceeds from the event go towards the arena and help cover the cost of practice for the Lakeland College Rodeo Team throughout their season in the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
For those of you going to the event or following along from home (if you can get to Vermillion you’re gonna want to) here are my thoughts on some of the potential round winners in my opinion.
Beau Hill vs. Fire Krackin’ – I don’t know this bull but I’m betting he’s a good one coming from the Flying Four Bull Co. of Prince Albert, SK. Beau Hill currently sits 17th in the PRCA’s World Standings too. It would sure be handy if these CPRA bull ridings would count towards the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. I think it’s been at least ten years since a Canadian has been to the NFR, even though Hill isn’t Canadian he still spends most of his time here, I think he would appreciate it as well. I’m not sure what that will take but I think it should happen.
Back to the topic at hand, Hill will ride this bull, hopefully he’s a big four year old.
Chad Besplug vs. Freightshaker – Chad is coming back a little early after an injury he sustained at Rodeo Houston about three weeks ago. He tore his AC joint there. For those of you who haven’t experienced that before, as far as I’ve learned the AC joint holds your collarbone to your shoulder. If this is torn, your collarbone sticks way up and looks real bad by your shoulder, it’s not broke though and will heal. Chad’s was a 3rd degree tear, I did a similar thing this winter on a snowboard but it was only a 1st degree. It hurt like hell to sleep on for about a month after let alone ride a bull.
Chad has been very focused on healing up though and he wants to win money here in Vermillion because it could really set him up well for the year if he does. Freightshaker is about as good a bull as Chad could get in the long go as far as I can see. They’ve rode him a few times and been about 85 on him most times. I’d bet that on this matchup and it’ll get Chad a good one for the short go.
Garrett Green vs. Burn it to the Ground – On paper, Garrett should probably win the long go here. Burn it to the Ground is one of the best bulls to draw in the Calgary Stampede bull pen in my opinion. A strait black horned bull, he should come out spinning into Green’s hand. I bet it’ll look a lot like this matchup from last summer in Armstrong, BC with Tanner Girletz, minus the femur smack of course hopefully, but hey even if it does Green will still likely win.
C.J. Davidson vs. High Definition – Coming off a win at the Canadian College Finals Rodeo this past week in Edmonton, Davidson is on a roll. He put up a big 88 point score there for the win on Saturday night on a white bull that spun to the left. The good news for C.J. is that High Definition spins left too. What I watched of that ride of his in Edmonton, the bull might not have kicked real high but he did spin both ways. 838 from Calgary is a black bull with kinda a blue brockle face and neck on him that originally came from the Flying High Ranch in Elnora, AB. These two could be a big score, keep an eye out for them.
Devon Mezei vs. Classic Hit – This bull from the Stampede is making his Canadian debut as far as I know in Vermillion. Devon should be happy with drawing Classic Hit too as I think he’s the only bull at the Lakeland College event that was selected to work the NFR last year. In the March issue of the Canadian Pro Rodeo News I wrote an article on this bull as he was bought this past winter from the Burch Rodeo Company. They’ve been as high as 89 on him and I’d bet on a great ride by Devon to kick off his 2014 campaign.
Todd Chotowetz vs. 2 Dark 2 C – This Wild Hoggs bull is the one you want to draw. Usually he will turn back both ways and that might get some guys. Chotowetz is coming off a big ski race appearance this past weekend in Lake Louise though so he’s fresh and ready to do some bull riding again. Most recently, 2011 and 2013 Canadian Champion Chad Besplug rode 2 Dark 2 C at his own event. I’m betting on the same tracks and a similar score for Todd on Saturday Night.
Please weigh in with your thoughts on the draw or your picks in a comment below.
| CONTESTANT | LOCALE | STOCK |
| PERFORMANCE: #1 7:00PM | SAT APR 5 2014 | |
| 1 BEAU BROOKS | COCHRANE AB | F4B 01 SHIVERS |
| 2 BEAU HILL | WEST GLACIER MT | F4B 099 FIRE KRACKIN |
| 3 STEVEN TURNER | COCHRANE AB | F4B 821 COFFEE BLACK |
| 4 JAKE WILSON | STRATHMORE AB | F4B 013 GUITAR TOWN |
| 5 JORDAN HANSEN | OKOTOKS AB | F4B 040 MARVIN |
| 6 BROCK RADFORD | DEWINTON, AB | WGB 973 EMMETT TELL |
| 7 KYLE LOUDON | QUEENSLAND AU | WGB 831 IDIOT PROOF |
| 8 WACEY FINKBEINER | PONOKA AB | WGB 80 BOOM BOOM |
| 9 SKYLER MCBRIDE | MADDEN AB | WGB 801 TRUE GRIT |
| 10 PONCHO LIMAS | STEPHENVILLE, TX | WGB 941 SLUMP BUSTER |
| 11 DAKOTA BUTTAR | KINDERSLEY SK | EBB 822 T.J. |
| 12 TY PATTEN | BUCK LAKE AB | EBB 924 COOL TIMES |
| 13 MILES PENNINGTON | LACOMBE AB | EBB 890 HOMEBOY |
| 14 JESSE FLETT | FORT VERMILLION AB | EBB 024 COOL POP |
| 15 SCOTT SCHIFFNER | STRATHMORE AB | ESB 0818 BOB MARLEY |
| 16 TYLER THOMSON | BLACK DIAMOND AB | ESB 916 POPCORN TWIST |
| 17 CHAD BESPLUG | CLARESHOLM AB | ESB 902 FREIGHT SHAKER |
| 18 CODY MOORE | HOUSTON BC | ESB 90 BROWNIE |
| 19 BILLY WEST | CADOGAN AB | ESB 911 E.W’S BONNESS |
| 20 REID LOZIER | 150 MILE HOUSE BC | EBB 903 BODY TWIST |
| 21 COLE COLLINS | FORT ST JOHN BC | CB 895 SWEET EMOTION |
| 22 GARRETT GREEN | MEETING CREEK AB | CB 955 BURN IT TO THE GROUND |
| 23 ADAM JAMISON | OKOTOKS AB | CB 949 LOWLIFE |
| 24 C.J. DAVIDSON | WORSLEY AB | CB 838 HIGH DEFINITION |
| 25 TY ELLIOTT | NANTON AB | CB 919 HAIR OF THE DOG |
| 26 DEVON MEZEI | BIG VALLEY AB | CB 871 CLASSIC HIT |
| 27 TANNER GIRLETZ | CEREAL AB | WHB 918 GOIN’ STEADY |
| 28 TYLER PANKEWITZ | PONOKA AB | WHB 079 GET THIS |
| 29 DUSTIN TOMPKINS | WIMBORNE AB | WHB 916 K ROSE |
| 30 JESSE TORKELSON | WARBURG AB | WHB 063 KICKIN’ M.S. |
| 31 TODD CHOTOWETZ | MAJOR SK | WHB 911 2 DARK 2 C |
| 32 TIMOTHY LIPSETT | LUMSDEN, SASK | WHB 73 GAME ON |
Short Go Stock
1. CB 703 GINAS KONG L – LOW MAN
2. CB 613 BOMBS AWAY L
3. WHB 81 AXIS OF EVIL L
4. WGB 803 CRACK BACK JACK R
5. WGB V29 FINKLES DOG R
6. EBB 913 RUCKUS JUICE L
7. CB 819 MAN IN BLACK L
8. WHB 90 TRENDON R – HIGH MAN
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