Change of Plans Pays Off For Craig Weisgerber
Nobody in Canadian rodeo celebrates with more energy and joy than steer wrestler Craig Weisgerber.
The 36 year-old had lots to celebrate this weekend as he was victorious at the 112th Bruce Stampede, added a third place cheque at the Medicine Hat Stampede (an SMS Equipment Pro Tour stop) and picked up an eighth place slice of the Rockyford Lions Pro Rodeo pie as well.
The win at the Bruce Stampede marked the fifth time Weisgerber has won the iconic one day event and prompted a cartwheel from the veteran en route to the presentation. The $4385 in weekend earnings will vault him from 24th place going into the weekend into a spot (unofficially) in or near the top twelve, a position that if he is able to maintain, would earn him a return trip to the CFR.
What makes his season earnings total of $13,616 all the more impressive is the fact that all of that money has been won in July as the Ponoka resident didn’t start his season until his hometown rodeo—the Ponoka Stampede.
“Ponoka was my first one. I was on hiatus,” Weisgerber acknowledged. “I’d been at home taking care of kids and working a movie and helping out at the farm but I couldn’t not enter Ponoka. I put all my irons in the fire at Ponoka and thought if I do good I’ll keep going. I entered Teepee Creek and Bowden just in case. But now I’m entered up at everything and going for that CFR spot.”
The success of Ponoka with a couple of long go wins that brought in over $9200 forced a re-thinking of the Weisgerber long term strategy. “Yeah, I’ve definitely had to change my plans for the summer,” Weisgerber chuckled. “But after Ponoka I had some rough luck; I think I only got one steer jumped so this weekend I just wanted to get everything thrown down. But I ended up getting the right draws and I guess the game plan worked. One steer at a time, that’s all I can do right now.”
If that game plan keeps working, fans will no doubt be treated to more of the signature Weisgerber celebrations. And one veteran steer wrestler just might turn entering his hometown rodeo into a return trip to the Canadian Finals Rodeo.
Another timed event competitor who has been on a heater is breakaway roper Bobbi Henderson. Following up on her success on the eastern swing—she won both Morris and Kennedy–the 21 year-old Alix, Alberta cowgirl added another win to her 2025 resume. Henderson topped the field at Medicine Hat with a 2.9 second run on the final day for a $1648 win, keeping her solidly in the top five as she battles for a return trip to the CFR.
Henderson gives a lot of the credit for her success to her ten year-old mare, Gray Ashes Olena (aka Popcorn), who recently returned to action after being on stall rest for a few weeks after a suspensory injury at Ponoka.
“It’s great to be back on her,” Henderson noted. “She’s been so good and she’s really fun to ride.” The reigning Maple Leaf Circuit Champion noted. “It’s kind of cool. I picked her up on my way to the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals three years ago and then last fall I won the Circuit Finals on her.”
And the winning continues for Henderson and Popcorn as the duo is reunited after Popcorn’s injury.
Another edition of the hugely popular Hardgrass Bronc Match is in the books as Dawson Hay continued his dominance of both sides of the 49th parallel. The Wildwood, Alberta native and number two ranked bronc rider in the world forty percented an illustrious field of bronc riding talent, putting up a 90 for the long go win on the Calgary Stampede bronc, A-6 Annual News, then following up with a massive 94.5 mark (just a point off his brother Logan’s world record ride, also at the Pollockville event) in the short go on another Calgary award-winning superstar, A-91 Agent Lynz to amass an aggregate total of 184.5 points. The win that counts in both Canadian and World standings netted Hay $16,238 moving him further up the ladder both in Canada and Stateside.
Sundre, Alberta bull rider Wyatt Gleeson continued to write his come-back story with a return to the winner’s circle at the Medicine Hat Stampede. The two time CFR qualifier and former Novice Bareback riding Champion rode Duane Kesler Championship Rodeo’s 782 Jack the Ripper to 88 points, $2842 and 100 SMS Equipment Pro Tour points. The 30 year old has battled injury over the last couple of seasons but looks to be regaining the form that took him to the Finals in 2022 and 2023.
This week will see CPRA athletes make their way to the High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo July 29-30, to Stettler for the Zeke Thurston Invitational Xtreme Broncs July 30, the Strathmore Stampede August 1-4 as well as Grimshaw’s North Peace Stampede and Coronation Pro Rodeo, both events happening August 2 and 3. Strathmore is an SMS Equipment Pro Tour stop while High Prairie, Grimshaw and Coronation are all under the Maple Leaf Circuit banner. The North Peace Stampede is also a Precision Drilling Series show while Coronation is part of the new Bio-Sul Premium Plus Rodeo Series.
For complete results, standings and a schedule of all upcoming events, visit rodeocanada.com
