Colby Bonnett CFR 2026
Quick Info
Horse:
Guysplottingfame aka Mac is who carried me to the finals this season. He is a bay gelding by Mac N Fame out of the mare “Frenched By An Angel” who is a daughter of Frenchmans Guy.
GD Decked In Gold aka Rio is who I will be starting on at the Finals. He is a brown gelding by RNJ Heckofafrenchman out of the mare “KRK Goldmine” who is a daughter of Ninety Nine Goldmine.
Rodeos entered: 48
Rodeo won or placed high at: Won Falkland, Coronation and Armstrong Tour Finals. Placed high at Grande Prairie, Lea Park, High River, Ponoka Long Go, Pincher Creek, Langley
Total earnings: $37,786.46
CFR qualification #: 2
Saddle, Pad, Bit : Raylee Racer, Wade saddle pad, Kerry Kelley Magnum 1 with a chain port mouthpiece. I run both my horses in this bit.
2026 CFR Interviews Presented by Alliance Equine
Tell us about your horse’s back story.
We bought Mac as a started 2 year old from Sandy Demers. He was bred by Park Performance Horses out of Manitoba. He was actually Logan’s pick so he spent a lot of hours in the team roping pen in addition to the barrel pen. He was light on his feet and had a lot of the qualities I admire in a barrel horse but he was very ratey so it made it hard to get him going during the winter months in the smaller indoor pens. He’s always been one that has surpassed any expectations I had for him. He placed at a couple futurities the spring of his futurity year but it wasn’t until we got outside that I really saw his potential. Needless to say he didn’t stay in the team roping pen long after that. He is 7 this year and I feel like he’s just starting to come into his own.
As for Rio, I acquired him the first of July as an outside horse from my aunt, Jodie Griffin. He is one that is always on go mode but has the biggest heart. Once we got a feel for each other it was all up from there. I think that he is a very special horse and I’m excited to see where he takes us as a team member to Mac.
Let’s talk about your 2026 season. You slowly climbed the standings, with that BIG win in Armstrong for $7,500 finishing 3rd overall! Tell us about your year.
My spring started off slow as Mac isn’t very fond of the smaller inside setups. As soon as we got outside though he felt right at home winning Falkland, the first outdoor rodeo of the year. From there he was a team player everywhere we went. He really capitalized at a lot of the bigger tour rodeos but he actually kept us pretty consistent in the maple leaf standings as well. I think watching the standings throughout the year it was just a true testament to how competitive the barrel racing really was. The money was spread out and there were a lot of great teams winning on any given weekend. Going into the last weekend of the regular season was probably one of the most stressful experiences I’ve ever had. A couple family members just kept telling me, “you like these situations, it’s how you got to the finals the first time.” I was a lot braver back then so this year had me a lot more anxious being on the bubble. I will say though that when your back’s against the wall and you end up coming out on top it’s sure a rewarding feeling. I was very proud of my horse for handling the nerves I had and feeding off that energy in a positive way. I think that’s a great quality to have in a rodeo horse. I had an idea that a good weekend could give us a boost in the standings but to end up going into the finals in 3rd position all the way from 12th is so exciting.
Since your last CFR appearance, you’ve become a wife and mother to two. How did you manage to balance rodeo and a young family on the road this year?
It was a lot of pajamas leaving the yard and stops along the road to return a soother or have a bathroom break. I will say I have an amazing support system both at home and on the road. My family and Logan’s family helped me on the longer trips so that the girls could stay home, or Logan and I would try to enter the same so he could be in the rig with me. But there were those weekends that it was just Bryce, Blake and I. I think that’s one thing that’s so great about our rodeo community is how willing to help everyone is. People would see my chaos going on at the trailer and come over to lend a hand or take the girls so I could focus before my run. It was also quite typical to see the girls hitching a ride with their uncles in the warm up pen. In addition to the great help I had, Mac also makes a great mom horse. He’s quiet enough to throw the girls up on the saddle, he doesn’t require a big warm up if I’m busy wrangling kids and he’s content to be loaded a couple minutes longer if I have things going south. It’s a lot of juggling and improvising but I honestly wouldn’t have it any other way. I hope one day the girls can look back and appreciate all the miles they made and the aunts and uncles they added to their family through the experiences we have had on the rodeo road.
Looking back at your season as a whole, what are you most proud of?
I’m very proud of my horse. It’s been 10 years since I made the finals and it hasn’t been from a lack of trying. I’ve always been one to have younger horses at the rodeos because I seem to have an addiction to selling horses, not a great quality to have if you also like to rodeo. I’ve had nice horses over the years but none that have stepped up to the plate on any given year and made it happen. It’s not easy out there and it takes a special horse to accomplish the goals I’ve been able to accomplish this year.
Do you have a pre-run routine that helps you get into the right mindset?
My kids and husband at times throw any routine I thought I had out the window but I do try to get to the rodeo in time to give my lasix while Mac is out of the trailer. Throughout the year it’s been a lot of learning what makes him happy to keep performing at the top of his game. When it was warmer out I iced his legs often to keep them tight and him feeling fresh. I do think that’s one thing he enjoys. He is also a very spooky horse so anytime I was able to show him the pen before his run he typically made it a lot easier on me as a jockey.
What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo? How did you stay motivated throughout the season?
I’m one of those people who just truly loves being on the go so it wasn’t hard for me to jump in the rig and get on the road. I really love making runs on a great horse and I always think that the winters can be long so why not enjoy every moment of this that we can while we can.
What's one part of your horse's care program you refuse to compromise on?
I love being on the road headed to the next rodeo but I also love getting home and turning my horses out on grass. That’s one thing that’s important to me is letting my horse be a horse as often as I can. As far as a therapeutic tool I use it would be their XLR8 magnetic sheets.
What bloodlines do you look for when considering prospects? Do you have a favourite?
I’m not as partial to bloodlines as I am to a certain look or feel. I do have a couple bloodlines I’d love to take for a spin though and see what all the hype is about lol
What goes through your mind in the alley before a run?
I generally have a lot of things on my mind before I go in, not sure if that’s a good thing or not but I’m an over thinker for sure. It’s pretty horse specific and can change depending on the ground conditions or the pens themselves but with Mac I generally tell myself to get my first and not to weaken to the second and third. If you’ve watched a couple of our runs you’ll see why lol. He requires me to be a lot braver than I like to be at times.
With Rio I generally think quiet hands, get him in the turn, and don’t get in a hurry.
Did you face any challenges this season? Tell us about them.
We had a slower July after what felt like a great June. Mac seemed to get a bit tired with all the miles and it required me to look into how to keep one feeling fresh, especially when you only have one. It’s a prime example that just when you think you have it figured out there’s more to learn. Other than that I was very fortunate this year to not have to endure too many hardships. It was just a matter of staying the course and believing it would all work out in the end if it was meant for me.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to chase the CFR dream?
With the help of a good horse it’s very achievable if you’re willing to put the work in. There’s a lot of money to be won at a lot of rodeos so it’s important to remember that one good weekend can change your entire trajectory.
Who has been your inspiration or mentor over the years, and what have they taught you?
My mom has always been an important person in my life whether it’s been as a mentor, a friend, or a grandma. We’ve been through a lot together through the years and I’ve always admired how giving she is. She’d give a lot to most anyone and I think that’s a great quality to have. My mom is someone who is always my first call no matter the situation and I’m very grateful to her for all she’s given me.
Who has been in your corner the most this season, and what have they done to help you get here?
There’s been so many people like I touched on a bit above but my husband is the one person who has been in my corner from the get go. He never let me get down, kept me motivated to keep going and always believed I could get back to Edmonton. To have a supportive husband is something that I’m very grateful for. It’s been fun cheering him on the last few years but I’ll be excited to join him in the arena this year at the finals.
I also have two great friends who were my biggest fans all throughout the year. Armstrong was one of my greatest wins and to have Shelby and Mariah cheering at the fence and running back to the trailer was the best. I didn’t share my video but their excitement in the background when they realized what Mac and I did was something that I’ll smile at forever. I hope everyone gets to experience a great friend in their life, I’ve been lucky enough to have two.
What is something you're proud of that has nothing to do with your rodeo career?
I’m proud of my family. We’re a very cohesive group and there’s not many days that we don’t spend together whether that’s in the arena, around the fire or on the golf course. Life is greater spent together and I feel very grateful to have our family on both sides, even those who may not be relatives but feel like family.
I’d like to say a thank you to my sponsors for being in our corner throughout the year, Cor Veterinary Services, Little Lucille, XLR8 Canada, Kennedy Smith LARC Technician, Robert Udal Farrier Services
I’d also like to say thank you to each and every rodeo committee who put so much time and effort into having great ground for us girls this year. The weather conditions were less than ideal at a lot of rodeos yet so many still had safe, fast ground.. it allows our horses to provide a great show for everyone and is so appreciated by us. Seeing the growth in venues, purses and crowds has been so fun to watch over the years and it’s a big thanks to the committees for making that happen.
Previous Interview:
