Down to the Wire at CFR ‘49

Today (Sunday) is the final day of the 2023 Canadian Finals Rodeo in Red Deer.

There are still some title races that will be determined by the end of the event this afternoon.

Two-time and reigning title holder Jared Parsonage sits atop the standings but with a slender $1200 cushion on the second-place man, 2019 champion, Edgar Durazo. Both men are four for five on the week with Mexican-born Durazo 7.5 points ahead in the all-important aggregate standings.

t will come down to one ride in Westerner Park’s Peavey Mart Centrium for the 2023 bull riding title.

Just $2200 separates the top two men in the bareback riding. 2021 Canadian Champion Clint Laye leads in both the overall standings and the aggregate but the margin in both is miniscule. Laye has a mere $2200 advantage in total earnings over 2019 titleist, Orin Larsen and just a one and one quarter lead in the aggregate points over the Manitoba product meaning the bareback riding will be decided by the final two rides of the season tomorrow afternoon. 2022 Champion, Ty Taypotat and veteran Dantan Bertsch remain in the hunt although both are long shots to overtake Laye and Larsen.

Defending Champion Taylor Manning pulled out all the stops Saturday in the barrel racing as she won round four then clocked the fastest time of the Finals – a smoking 13.45 in round five – for her third round win of the week.

Provost, Alberta steer wrestler Scott Guenthner has his sights set on a fourth Canadian title. And it looks like the likeable bull dogger is an unstoppable force in that quest. With a $16,000 margin separating Guenthner from the rest of the field heading into Sunday’s final CFR performance, only the unlikeliest series of events could deny him.

Similarly, three-time World and Canadian bronc riding Champion Zeke Thurston of Big Valley, Alta has overcome a first round buck off with three go-round wins and a third-place finish to put him $21,000 ahead of second place cowboy Ben Andersen.

For more information head to rodeocanada.com for more Canadian Finals Rodeo results.