Cowboy Christmas in Canada

On this the most American of U.S. holiday weekends a growing number of pro rodeo contestants are spending their traditional “Cowboy Christmas” in Canada. It doesn’t hurt that there is a $100,000 pot of gold up for grabs in each of six events that comprise the Calgary Stampede’s championship round.

Gillette saddle bronc rider Chet Johnson is quite fond of competing in Canada. He took home a truckload of Canadian dollars last year. Well, that’s not entirely true. Johnson made so much money up north he opened a bank account there. Chet is in the first pool of bronc riders out in Calgary starting Friday. Kelly Timberman from Mills, and the 2004 world bareback champ, is in the first pool of men in his event.

The Calgary Stampede is by invitation only for contestants and two Wyoming bull riders are very happy to have received the call up to Canada. Bobby Welsh of Gillette and Kanin Asay from Powell are in the same pool of bull riders who will strive for their best outings of the year beginning July 7.

Asay had the chance to join the Calgary pool that opens July 3 but opted to stay in the states to compete in his hometown rodeo – The Cody Stampede. The only Wyoming edition of Xtreme Bulls is July 5th so that provides Asay a good opportunity to shine twice in front of his longtime fans and his family. Rodeo fans traveling to Cody this weekend will also see Meeteetse product Dusty Tuckness handling bull fighting chores. Dusty was proud host, along with his close friend Kanin, of a special bullfighting and bull riding event in Cody, June 14. Here’s a minute of the action as edited by our own Mike McCrimmon who saw his camera gain the affection of more than one horned critter:

Seth Glause of Rock Springs is going to be on top of bulls going for the Cody crown in both the Stampede on the Fourth of July and the Cody-Yellowstone Xtreme Bulls the next day. That event will be taped by our friends from Winnercomm Sports, edited, and aired nationally on ESPN2 at 12:00pm mountain time, July 19. The Cody event will feature five bull riders who own world champion buckles. It is the first Xtreme Bulls ever to have that many champs in one setting. You can still grab a ticket at: www.codystampederodeo.com or by calling 1-800-207-0744. Ticket prices are $25 for general admission.