CFR49 has come to an end and with that comes new Canadian champions in the team roping as well as some impressive new records. Brady Tryan, a two-time National Finals Rodeo header from Huntley, Montana, and his electrifying heeler, Calgary Smith from Adams, Oregon, arrived in Red Deer with something to prove. Not only did this dynamic duo claim the title of Canadian champion team ropers, but they also shattered multiple records along the way. While records are meant to be broken, it's important to acknowledge the trailblazers who paved the way for the sport's evolution.
Twenty-two years before the breathtaking performance in Round 3 of CFR49, the Skocdopole brothers, Dale and Wayne from Big Valley, Alberta, executed a blazing run of 3.7 seconds in 2001 in the same city – Red Deer. Although this record was not achieved at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, it set a benchmark for the fastest team roping run on Canadian soil at that time. Notably, Canadian team roping legends Travis Gallais and Rocky Dallyn narrowly missed joining the Skocdopoles as record holders with their 3.8-second run in 2003 at Taber.
Dale and Wayne's record would stand until 2009 when Shane Schwenke and Mike Beers set a new record of 3.4 seconds at the Wrangler Tour Finals in Calgary, Alberta. Schwenke and Beers' time held for 13 years until it was surpassed by Barrhead, Alberta's Schmidt brothers, Tate and Kagen, who clocked an astonishing 3.3 seconds in November 2022 at the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals in Regina, Saskatchewan, a record that holds today.
In the realm of fast times at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, several memorable moments stand out. The previous record of 3.7 seconds was initially set in 2008 by Brandon and Mike Beers at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Dustin Bird and Paul Eaves came tantalizingly close in 2012, missing the mark by just one-tenth of a second in Round 3. The next night however, Bird and Eaves would match the Beers’ record with a smoking fast time of 3.7 seconds in Round 4. The current record holders, Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler, also equaled the previous CFR record with a 3.7-second run in Round 6 of the 2014 finals held in Edmonton.
When the Canadian Finals Rodeo relocated to Red Deer in 2018, the fastest time of the first finals was a 3.8-second run achieved by a pair of NFR qualifiers from the United States, Brenten Hall and Chase Tryan. Chase Tryan, a cousin of current record holder, Brady Tryan. The Red Deer record was broken the following year by another duo of NFR qualifiers, Matt Sherwood and Hunter Koch, also from the United States. Sherwood and Koch matched Hall and Tryan's 3.8-second run in Round 2 of the 2019 finals before lowering it to 3.7 seconds in Round 3, matching the previous CFR record from Edmonton held by Beers/Beers (2008), Bird/Eaves (2012), and Richard/Buhler (2014).
While they never held the record, it's worth noting that the Graham brothers from Wainwright, Alberta, posted a time of 3.9 seconds three times during the CFR's five-year stay in Red Deer (2019, 2021, and 2023). Ponoka's Kash Bonnett and the 2023 Canadian All-Around Champion, Logan Spady, also belong to the sub-four-second club with their 3.9-second run in Red Deer at the 2021 Canadian Finals.
The stage was set for a spectacular performance in Round 3 of CFR49, widely regarded as the greatest night of Canadian team roping in recent memory. It commenced with Canadian-born header and National Finals qualifier Kolton Schmidt, cousin to Tate and Kagen Schmidt, partnering with his Alliance, Alberta heeler Logan Spady. They clocked a solid run of 3.8 seconds, the fastest time of the week at that point, poised for a round win or a significant share of the glory. However, Saskatchewan cowboys Tee McLeod and Brady Chappel stole the spotlight with a record-tying time of 3.7 seconds just moments after.
The crowd was electrified, and as an avid team roping fan, I couldn't help but smile at the exceptional runs I had just witnessed. Little did I know that the excitement was far from over.
Next up were Brady Tryan and Calgary Smith, the red-hot American pair who had secured a second-place finish on night one and shared second place with McLeod and Chappel on night two. Determined to claim the top spot, they blazed a trail with a record-breaking run of 3.5 seconds. The entire arena erupted with excitement, especially Calgary Smith, who celebrated wildly as soon as the flag dropped.
With times of 3.5, 3.7, and 3.8 seconds, one might think the excitement had reached its peak. However, Rhen Richard and Jeremy Buhler, a decorated duo who had previously shared the 3.7-second CFR record, stepped up to the plate. In a textbook, picture-perfect run, they not only matched the night's fastest time but also equaled the brand-new Canadian Finals Rodeo record with their own 3.5-second run.
Once again, the crowd was treated to an extraordinary display of team roping talent, and I felt privileged to witness such a remarkable event in person. It's worth mentioning that Trey Gallais, son of Travis Gallais, and his partner Denim Ross would have been damn close to achieving a 3.5-second run or faster, but an unfortunate turn of events saw Ross's heel rope slip off the hips and end up with one hind leg, resulting in a time of 3.8 seconds before the five-second penalty.
While the 3.5-second run set by Tryan and Smith and matched by Richard and Buhler will remain the Red Deer record for as long as the Canadian Finals stays in Edmonton, it is by no means secure as a CFR record, given the talent among Canadian ropers. Nevertheless, Tryan and Smith achieved another record that will endure for years. They broke the 18-year-old record, previously held by Canadian legends Travis Gallais and Rocky Dallyn, who set the average record in 2005 with a cumulative time of 31.3 seconds on six head. Tryan and Smith's total time over their six steers roped during CFR 49 was an impressive 24.3 seconds.
With the Canadian Finals Rodeo moving to Edmonton for 2024, some format changes have been introduced, including a reduction in the number of performances from six to five. This means that Tryan and Smith's brand-new record will stand for as long as these changes are in place. CFR 49 sure was exciting for a team roping fan, what will CFR 50 have in store?
-Around The Saddle Horn
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