Exciting PBR event in Medicine Hat

Posted on 17 October 2022 by Prairie Post

At the penultimate regular-season event for the 2022 PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada Cup Series, presented by Wrangler, Brock Radford (De Winton, Alberta) showed up, and showed out, going a perfect 2-for-2 to win the Robertson Implements Classic, presented by Art’s Excavating, and surge to No. 3 in the heated battle to be crowned the 2022 PBR Canada Champion.

Radford got off to an electric start in Round 1, delivering the fourth-best score when he conquered Devils Dues (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/Legend Rodeo Stock) for 84.5 points.

In the championship round, the charismatic Albertan then readied to attempt Look At This Dude (Two Bit Bucking Bulls). Remaining in perfect time with the powerful animal athlete, Radford reached the requisite 8 for 85 points to clinch the victory.

Radford is now just the second rider to win multiple Cup Series events this season. First victorious in Kelowna, British Columbia, Radford joins multi-event winner Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) who dominated both tour stops in Lethbridge, Alberta, in September.

The golden finish garnered Radford a crucial 65 national points. He surged from No. 7 to No. 3 in the nation, now within a mere 40 points of the top spot.

Tetz parlayed his own 2-for-2 effort inside Co-op Place into a runner-up finish, overtaking Logan Biever (Claresholm, Alberta) for the No. 1 rank in the Canadian standings.

The 2018 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year first put points on the board in Round 1 when he covered Super Fly (Eno Bucking Bulls) for 82.5 points.

Positioned seventh on the event leaderboard, Tetz then went head-to-head with Bustin Rhymes (X6 Ranch Bucking Cattle/Legend Rodeo Stock) in the championship round. In a match-up which proved dividends, Tetz covered the bull for 86.5 points to win the round and capture the podium finish.

The silver showing garnered Tetz a much-needed 57 national points. After traveling to Medicine Hat No. 2 in Canada, 54.5 points behind the top-ranked rider, Tetz surged to the No. 1 position in the nation. Tetz now leads an injured No. 2 Biever by a slim 2.5 points.

As the final rider to be flawless in Medicine Hat, 2017 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year Coy Robbins (Camrose, Alberta) was third, netting 43 national points.

After going the distance atop Warning Shot (Outlaw Buckers Rodeo Corp.) for 81.5 points in Round 1, Robbins surged to third place in the event when he rode Alberta Springs (Vold Rodeo) for 85.5 points in the championship round.

Robbins climbed from No. 8 to No. 6 in Canada. He is now 93 points behind No. 1 Tetz.

Cauy Schmidt (Coronation, Alberta), Griffin Smeltzer (Claresholm, Alberta) and Todd Chotowetz (Major, Saskatchewan) tied for fourth, each collecting 23.66 national points.

The trio split the Round 1 win, each covering their opening round draw in Medicine Hat for 85.5 points. Schmidt rode Funkadelic (CS Bucking Bulls), the Austin Gamblers’ Smeltzer bested Look Alive (Flying Four Bucking Bulls), and Chotowetz outlasted Power Play (Vold Rodeo).

Seeking his career-first qualification to the PBR Canada National Finals, Schmidt is now No. 14 in the nation. Smeltzer cracked the Top 20 in Canada, climbing from No. 21 to No. 18. Chotowetz also gained significant ground as he looks to make a last-minute push inside the Top 20, now No. 22 in the nation.

In the bull pen, two-time and reigning PBR Canada Bull of the Year Happy Camper (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) earned his fourth YETI “Built for the Wild” Bull of the Event Honor. The Bucking Sensation from the Two Bit Nation was scored a commanding 45 points in the championship round for his 4.47-second buckoff of Callum Miller (Warwick, Queensland, Australia).