Saddle bronc sees growth in rodeo

By Justin Seward - Lethbridge Herald on August 31, 2022.

Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo fans were treated to many talented riders last week including the No.4 Canadian Professional Rodeo Association ranked professional saddle bronc rider Zeke Thurston.

Thurston placed seventh in Lethbridge with 80 points and a total earnings of $307.38.

He rode a horse named Enuff Cherry from the Calgary Stampede.

“The horse hasn’t had very many trips,” said Thurston.

“He was kind of nervous in there. You know just a green horse; he hasn’t been bucked a whole lot. He’s probably been bucked maybe eight to 10 times in his life. So he doesn’t really have any pattern.”

Thurston has been on a tear since early July with earnings.

“I’ve had a great 2022 season so far,” said Thurston.

” ÉI’ve really picked it up, especially the last couple of months. I’ve won a lot here in the last few months and things (have) just been going good — riding good and drawing good. So it’s been a lot of fun.”

Since July 4, Thurston figures he has won $45,000, which had brought him close to $140,000 in total earnings to date.

“I’ve won in last couple of months probably $90,000, so it’s been really good,” said Thurston.

Thurston is fifth in the world standings on top of the fourth-place ranking in the CPRA.

“There is a lot of rodeo left,” he said.

“We’re going to keep grinding it out until the end and just try to win as much money as we can. You know kind of close them gaps for when we get to the finals (and) try to be able to be the champ at the end of the year. In Canada, there’s probably 12 bronc riders right now that are young and that are craving it and ride outstanding. So it’s going to tough to win over there at Canadian finals. It’s tough to make it this year.”

Thurston thinks rodeo is coming back stronger out of COVID.

“I think rodeo is heading in a direction that we’ve never seen it go before ,” he said.

“I just hope it gets to a point where people are making a living just rodeoing and I think it’s heading there. It’s growing and The Cowboy Channel has helped out so much. It’s on T.V.; you know people can just leisurely watch it from their couch at home, you get to watch the biggest rodeos in the world. It’s really going in the right direction.”

Thurston was glad to see the Lethbridge rodeo return for the first time in eight years.

“You know, I’ve always thought that they need to have a big rodeo,” said the Big Valley product.

“They’ve got the facility to do it and put on a bang-up good rodeo. This is a good rodeo here and it’s a start and hopefully they keep it rolling and it comes back and really turns into something.”

Thurston has been to the Calgary Stampede every year since 2015 and is a three-time champion.

The unofficial results saw Clint Laye win the bareback riding with 84.5 points ($2,500.40),the steer wrestling crown went to Denver Roy at 3.5 seconds and earnings of $2,521. 08, the saddle bronc riding had tie between Jake Watson and Kole Ashbacher with 86 points apiece ($2,612.73 each), Logan Bird won the tie down roping with a time of 7.7 seconds ($2,546.46), Suzanne Depaoli was crowned the barrel racer champion with a time of 15.67 seconds and earnings of $3,384, the team roping champion was the duo of Dylan and Dawson Graham with 4.9 seconds and winning $2,480.90 each, Brock Radford won the bull-riding with 87 points ($2,632) and breakaway roping went to Brittany Smith a time of 2.64 seconds and earnings of $2,136.06.