RODEO NOTES, Day 7: Veteran roper Marty Yates off to fast start in bid for first Calgary Stampede crown

Calgary Herald

11-07-2025

Marty Yates is on the who's-who list of cowboys at the Calgary Stampede.
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The one highlighting past rodeo champions.
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'Absolutely … that's something I'd like to change here this year,' said Yates, a 31-year-old tie-down roper who's been coming annually to 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth' since way back in 2015.
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'I've been here a lot, and it's been a long time since I got a good start and won the first round.'
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That changed Thursday for the veteran roper who's a fixture at the Stampede.
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Yates was quick enough to post a 7.1-second score to win the day-money — $7,000 — and get off to that elusive strong start.
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'That doesn't necessarily guarantee you a spot in the finals, but it gives you a very good step in that direction,' said Yates, of Stephenville, Texas. 'If you don't place in the first round, it's just kind of hard to climb back up out of that. But if you win the first round, usually everything starts going into place and you have a lot better luck in the next two rounds.
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'Setting the tone means everything. It doesn't matter which rodeo you're at. If you start off good and usually you have some confidence to build on there. It's just hard to go the other way around. When it don't go good, and then you're trying to work from nothing. So just look forward to going to more good calves and having a good week.'
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It's been a good year for Yates, who is in and out of the top 10 depending on what day of the week it is in the highly competitive tie-down world.
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But he's noticed a particular upturn in his fortunes since he acquired a new mount in Snoop in early April.
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'Yeah … he's pretty new,' Yates said. 'I knew the guy really well that owned him. He moved to Texas this spring and brought that horse down there, and some guys told me about him, and it's just been a great fit ever since.
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'He's only six years old, but he's very secure in his mind and in his body, for sure. I've had many young horses over the years, and he's just been very good for me. He's awesome.
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'We've hauled him all over the country already so far, and he doesn't seem to care about any of it. It's just been fun.