STAMPEDE FAMILY TRADITION ONGOING
Greg Cassidy was honoured as former champion, and has added role of supporting sons Cody, Curtis
Greg Cassidy has one less thing to worry about on Saturday.
Or, rather, one less son. Thanks to a gutsy and timely performance by Cody Cassidy — a 4.2-second run in steer wrestling to split second and third-placed money with Kyle Irwin who also had a 4.2-second outing — the 36-year-old snuck into Championship Sunday, finishing fourth in the overall aggregate with $7,500.
That means during the Wild Card round, Pops only has to help out Cody’s older brother Curtis, who didn’t make it out of Pool A competition earlier in the Stampede. Greg is always around, though, helping tend to the horses and being called into action, if needed.
“Shoot, he just hazed for us at Ponoka last week,” Cody Cassidy said with a chuckle. “That’s the first steers he’s hazed in four years. He hazed for me and Dusty (Dustin Walker) and got Dusty to the shortgo and Dusty ended up fifth in the average and just about made the final four.
“He still knows how to do it … I don’t think he would even if I asked him. If something would have happened and he didn’t do good, everyone would be on his ( butt). ‘That ol’ sucker can’t haze no more. What’s Cody thinking?’”
Truth be told, Greg Cassidy has more than paid his dues.
Earlier this week, the veteran cowboy from Donalda, Alta., was honoured at the Calgary Stampede Pioneers of Rodeo, a past Stampede champion who has accomplished the rare feat of winning tie-down roping and steer wrestling.
But it wouldn’t be the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth without the Cassidy family hanging around the chutes on the South side of the Calgary Stampede infield.
“I do what I can and stay involved,” Greg said. “I help them practice and pen help. I drove down to Reno with Cody the other day, he was driving by himself so I helped him drive. I enjoy watching him, especially at the good rodeos.”
Greg doesn’t mind his other role either — babysitter.
This week, Cody has had his three-year-old son named Clyde tagging along.
“He’s a cowboy, through and through,” Greg said of Clyde. “That’s all he thinks about. He gets up in the morning and puts his cowboy clothes on and his spurs and bull dogs. He has a little rubber bull that he bulldogs all day long.
“He comes to the practice pen all the time and backs up and nods and goes, ‘Big nod.’ … it’s pretty comical.”
Perhaps Clyde can show his Dad some new moves.
Despite an uneven pen of steers on Friday, Cody Cassidy was able to sneak into Sunday’s final but it’s been a tough year for him. So tough that he’s off to Teepee Creek Rodeo on Friday and will be back in time for the finals at Calgary.
Since the start of the year, Cassidy has only won $250.
“It’s been a bit slow this year,” he said with a chuckle. “I don’t really know why. I’ve been practising lots and doing the same stuff. Things just haven’t been clicking but that’s rodeo for you. You have to work through them times because anybody that’s rodeoed will have plenty of those times. It’s just head down, ( butt) up … “Maybe this is the start of something good.”
That being said, win or lose, coming to Calgary is always a blast.
“It’s awesome,” said Cassidy who has been riding Dusty Walker’s horse named Tank. “It doesn’t get no better than Calgary. If anybody says they don’t look forward to coming to Calgary, they’re lying. I can never win no money here but I look forward to it every year. My goal is to make it to the Canadian finals and the Calgary Stampede. As long as I can continue making them, I’ll be happy.”
And his Dad’s advice?
“It’s the biggest rodeo in the world,” he said. “If it gets old for you, you’d better stay home.”