Triple test ahead for Butterfield
Give Luke Butterfield credit; he has to try.
The Ponoka saddle bronc rider needs to win at least $2,400 this weekend to qualify for professional rodeo’s $6.1-million world championships at Las Vegas in December.
The 26-year-old cowboy also has another goal.
He hopes to pick up as little as $280 in the steer wrestling to become eligible to compete for the all-around buckle at the November Canadian championships at Edmonton. And, he has to get it all done in the next three days.
Currently in Texas, he’ll fly to California on Friday to ride a bucking horse at a night rodeo at San Bernardino, fly on Saturday to Regina for the bronc riding and steer wrestling at a 7 p.m. rodeo in McCord, Sask., catch a ride to Dickinson, N.D., where he’ll jump on a plane and fly to Kansas to crawl on another bucking horse on Sunday afternoon.
That is the last day of professional rodeo’s regular season on both sides of the border.
Butterfield, who’s been on the road for a full two months, is 16th in the world saddle bronc standings. He’s earned $50 short of $50,000 and needs to be 15th to qualify for Las Vegas. His target is Tyrell Smith, son of 1988 Canadian saddle bronc riding champion John Smith, now a Montana stock contractor. He’s 15th at $52,311.
“There were a lot of times I would liked to have gone home,” said Butterfield. “But this is what I’ve worked for since I started riding broncs; to be in this position.”