RODEO NOTES, Day 2: Bull-rider JR Stratford collects all the cash
Barrel racer Anita Ellis is also feeling the love of the Stampede, because she, too, has already clinched a spot on this year's Championship Sunday roster.
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For the second straight day Saturday, Idaho's Ellis was the only cowgirl to run the cloverleaf in under 17 seconds.
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Of course, that made the Stampede rookie a go-round winner on consecutive days to give her $14,000 and the coveted early advancement to the final day next week.
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'I feel like I can just relax now and have a good time — like let the nerves settle a little bit and just have a great time here,' Ellis said. 'It changes my mindset a little bit. I might run my colt that's a little less experienced (Sunday) … give him a chance to be in front of a big crowd and see how that goes.'
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It's been nine-year-old Axe getting her around the track — first, in 16.89 seconds, and then, in 16.96s — for the two respective victories Friday and Saturday.
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'Axe had surgery on his spine (last year) just to give him another chance, because he's such a talented, awesome horse,' said Ellis, who earned her spot for 2025 through the Calgary qualifier in June. 'Axe came back a little slow … but towards the end of the year, he was coming back to himself.
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A few other rodeo stars are on the cusp of Championship Sunday, with little in the way on Day 3 of keeping them from advancing to next week's final. Bareback artist Cole Franks won Saturday's go-round with 90 points on Bucking Knight to give him $12,500 through two shows. Tie-down roper and fellow Texan John Douch won Day 2 with a 7.2-second run to net him $12,000 heading into Sunday. And Scott Guenthner of Provost, Alta., posted a 3.8-second time in Saturday's steer wrestling to push him to $12,500 … It's a battle in saddle bronc after Kansas bull-dogger Weston Patterson rode Hotel Acres to Saturday's win with an 88.5-point score. Wyoming's Brody Cress, with $11,500, and California's Lefty Holman, with $11,000, are just ahead of Patterson, with $10,250, but the trio is not yet clear of the field heading into the third-and-final day of Pool A competition … In breakaway roping, it was Oklahoma's Taylor Munsell with a swift 2.6-second run to capture the Day 2 top prize. Stay tuned for a wild finish in the new event Sunday … Clay Greenslade, of Strathmore, Alta., earned the highest mark of novice bareback so far with his 85-point ride aboard Harry Money on Saturday. But Texan talent Kash Loyd leads the event with 162.5 total points with just Sunday's show left to crown a champ … Day 3 of the rodeo goes Sunday at GMC Stadium (1:30 p.m.), marking the final day of Pool A competition.
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RODEO NOTES, Day 2: Bull-rider JR Stratford collects all the cash
Article content Barrel racer Anita Ellis is also feeling the love of the Stampede, because she, too, has already clinched a spot on this year's Championship Sunday roster. Article content For the second straight day Saturday, Idaho's Ellis was the only cowgirl to run the cloverleaf in under 17 seconds. Article content Of course, that made the Stampede rookie a go-round winner on consecutive days to give her $14,000 and the coveted early advancement to the final day next week. Article content 'I feel like I can just relax now and have a good time — like let the nerves settle a little bit and just have a great time here,' Ellis said. 'It changes my mindset a little bit. I might run my colt that's a little less experienced (Sunday) … give him a chance to be in front of a big crowd and see how that goes.' Article content It's been nine-year-old Axe getting her around the track — first, in 16.89 seconds, and then, in 16.96s — for the two respective victories Friday and Saturday. Article content Article content 'Axe had surgery on his spine (last year) just to give him another chance, because he's such a talented, awesome horse,' said Ellis, who earned her spot for 2025 through the Calgary qualifier in June. 'Axe came back a little slow … but towards the end of the year, he was coming back to himself. Article content Article content A few other rodeo stars are on the cusp of Championship Sunday, with little in the way on Day 3 of keeping them from advancing to next week's final. Bareback artist Cole Franks won Saturday's go-round with 90 points on Bucking Knight to give him $12,500 through two shows. Tie-down roper and fellow Texan John Douch won Day 2 with a 7.2-second run to net him $12,000 heading into Sunday. And Scott Guenthner of Provost, Alta., posted a 3.8-second time in Saturday's steer wrestling to push him to $12,500 … It's a battle in saddle bronc after Kansas bull-dogger Weston Patterson rode Hotel Acres to Saturday's win with an 88.5-point score. Wyoming's Brody Cress, with $11,500, and California's Lefty Holman, with $11,000, are just ahead of Patterson, with $10,250, but the trio is not yet clear of the field heading into the third-and-final day of Pool A competition … In breakaway roping, it was Oklahoma's Taylor Munsell with a swift 2.6-second run to capture the Day 2 top prize. Stay tuned for a wild finish in the new event Sunday … Clay Greenslade, of Strathmore, Alta., earned the highest mark of novice bareback so far with his 85-point ride aboard Harry Money on Saturday. But Texan talent Kash Loyd leads the event with 162.5 total points with just Sunday's show left to crown a champ … Day 3 of the rodeo goes Sunday at GMC Stadium (1:30 p.m.), marking the final day of Pool A competition.
