06-07-2025
RODEO NOTES, Day 2: Bull-rider JR Stratford collects all the cash
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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.
