Calgary Stampede roundup
B.C. bull rider vaults into Pool B first
— Ty Pozzobon wanted a challenge. He certainly found one.
He pulled Mr. Buddy at the Calgary Stampede’s bull-riding event, a development the Merritt, B.C., cowboy considered to be rather tasty.
“That bull is exactly what I wanted,” said Pozzobon. “I knew that I was going to have my hands full, but I knew that our styles fit each other.” And he would know. He had jumped on Mr. Buddy in Clovis, Calif., in April — and rattled off 89.5 points. Wednesday? Same thing. Exactly. Which was enough to vault Pozzobon into first for the day, the second go-round of Pool B. Next had been Mike Lee, of Fort Worth, Texas; Zane Lambert of Ponoka; J.B. Mauney of Mooresville, N.C.
“He gave me a little more trouble than he did before,” said Pozzobon. “He was a little more bull here in Calgary — must have been the atmosphere, I guess. I knew I was just a little bit out and I had to gas it the whole ride to get there. I never really did get the sweet spot on him. But it was long enough. It was a fight.”
Coming into Calgary, he’d prevailed in Cody, Wyo., then won high average in Ponoka.
“It’s been a hot streak for me,” said Pozzobon. “A pretty awesome month. But I haven’t been thinking about all that — that’s in the past now. You’ve got to live for the present and take each bull at a time. The bulls don’t care how hot you’ve been in the last month.”
TIE-DOWN ROPING
Matt Shiozawa turned pro in 1999. This marks his 12th appearance at the Stampede. Do the math — the Idaho tie-down roper can ink this week into his day-timer in January.
“It never gets old,” said Shiozawa, who won the championship in 2010.
“And it’s not just the prize money, it’s the environment. The city’s awesome. And the format makes it that you have to step up every day and try to, basically, blast.” And blast Shiozawa did. His time of 7.3 seconds was a sliver faster than Shane Hanchey at Sulphur, La., at 7.4. Clif Cooper, of Decatur, Texas, stood third.
“If you can’t get up to compete at the Calgary Stampede, you’re just not going to be able to get up for anything,” said Shiozawa. “This should be the show … you’re the most focused and prepared for.
“This is a good start.”
STEER WRE STLING
Morgan Grant enjoyed a busy — and productive — afternoon.
The Ontario cowboy placed fourth in the tie- down roping, then, shortly after, claimed top spot in the steer wrestling.
“Great day … just awesome,” said Grant. “This is what you dream of as a kid growing up in Canada — wanting to be a cowboy. My grandparents are from Mississauga and this is the one rodeo they know. They’ve never been around horses or anything like that, so the Calgary Stampede is the big one.
“That’s how you know you made it — you made it to Calgary.”
Grant had previously qualified for the Stampede, but missed out because of injury. So, obviously, he’s tickled to be here — as is his father, also Morgan, who’s in attendance.
“My dad used to drive me from London to Orangeville, which is two hours,” said Grant. “I’d do homework all the way and sleep all the way home. It’s my dad — he’s the reason I’m here and not watching on TV.
“He’s pretty pumped, too … I think he’s having as much, if not more, fun than I am. And I’m having about as much fun as you can. This is awesome. This is what you dream about.”
SADDLE-BRONC
Wade Sundell topped the field Tuesday. Then again Wednesday.
Aboard Awesome in the saddle-bronc, the Boxholm, Iowa, cowboy was awarded 86.5 points, shading Cody Wright, of Milford, Utah, and his 86.
“I couldn’t tell you what he was doing,” Sundell said afterward. “A lot of things were happening. I just kept trying to keep my chin down and keep gassing on him.”
Sundell admits he’d been stoked after watching his pal Steven Peebles win the second go-round of the bareback.
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” said Sundell. “Just watching him jump out there and do that, it got my motor running. I was wound up. You get some drive off that when your buddy is doing good.”