Kirby Penttila CFR 2025
Kirby Penttila has been close to qualifying for the Canadian Finals Rodeo. In 2024 she was just shy of making it to Edmonton, but missed the mark by almost $175.00. In 2023 she was also on the outside looking in, but 2025 was her year.
Penttila has qualified for her first CFR after 45 rodeos, placing at 21 and winning one! Her and her great mare SR Shezndabooktafame (Hezgottabefamous x Chicky Kilo Doc) aka Chic, finished the season in 8th position, closing the season as the SMS Equipment Pro Tour Final Champions in Armstrong for $7,500, and winning pool B for $2,000.
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What is your main mounts back story; when and where you found him/her, and what was it about this horse that you knew it was destined for great things/what makes them so special?
I got Chic from Colby Bonnett in 2022. She had been listed for a few months, and a few friends had shown her to me but I wasn't exactly shopping for a horse at that time, nor did I ever think I would spend that kind of money on a horse. But she kept coming across my Facebook feed and I couldn't stop thinking about her. A friend of mine finally said that we should just go try her because then if I didn't like her, I could just move on. I chatted with my husband and he was on board so off we went to try her out. I knew as soon as I swung a leg over her that she was special, and that we were going to click. She just had this really great energy and was so willing to please, even though I could tell she was a little nervous. So then I was like "uh oh...I've got to go home and tell my husband about this..." Well, I got home a couple hours later and found my husband white as a sheet and when I asked him what happened, he told me he legit had a near death experience choking on a cold french fry. After we got done chatting about how lucky he was, he asked how it went with the horse. I told him that she was the real deal, and that I was pretty sure she was a horse that could take me to the CFR, but that we really couldn't afford her and really didn't need to buy another horse. Given his recent brush with death, he was quick to respond that "life is short, buy the horse!" and so I hurried up and did it before he changed his mind! So that's how Chic came to be mine and earned the nickname, "French Fry"!
How does it feel to have qualified to the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, and what are you most excited for?
I've been dreaming about this and working towards it since I was 15, and so it feels a bit surreal that it has finally come true! There is nothing like the energy at some of the big rodeos like Ponoka and Armstrong, and I can imagine that the CFR carries that same sort of energy. Chic thrives in that type of setting, so I'm excited to get to run there!
What was your most memorable run this season, and what made it memorable?
There's three that were really key for us: Our run at Lethbridge that secured our spot at the SMS Equipment Tour Finals in Armstrong, and then our Pool B run at Armstrong, shortly followed by the finals run on Saturday night. These runs are memorable because I have been working really hard on my mental game this year, and I feel it paid off in those three runs where we were able to come up big and secure a spot at CFR51.
What was different about your rodeo season this year compared to last year?
I wound up on the right side of the bubble this time! I missed CFR by about $172 last year, which just added fuel to the fire for our goal of wanting to qualify. When we were that darn close, I just knew we could do it. With some changes to my mental game, we knocked way fewer barrels in 2025 and made some big runs at the end of the season to get us qualified.
What challenges did you face this year, and how did you overcome them?
My older sister planned a stagette for my little sister on the 3rd to last weekend of the year! I knew I couldn't miss that event, so I had to sit out Cranbrook, Pincher Creek, and Medicine Lodge, which was just a teeny bit nerve wracking when you are on the bubble for CFR. Last year, this would have made me so nervous, and would have gotten me in the mindset trap of "needing" to win, but I was able to stay focused on my mental game plan, and show up how I needed to for the last two weekends.
How do you keep confidence when things aren't going as planned, or you are in a slump?
Rodeo is definitely one of the biggest mental roller coasters in professional sports, I think. You can be on top of the world one da,y and then be completely humbled and looking up from the bottom the next. I try not to focus too much on the "fantasies" and the "nightmares", and instead focus on how I want to show up. I've also stopped painting a mental picture of myself about things like drawing bottom of the ground or drawing up in slack. In years past, I would get caught in the trap of saying things like, "Chic doesn't run well in slack" or, "I'm bottom of the ground, it's going to get deep and hard to place". When I tell myself that going in, it's more likely to be true because that is the intention that has been set. Now, I focus on letting those fears and doubts go before I show up because they are things I can't control, so I just needed to show up, and do my best no matter how I drew up.
What would be your rough estimate of vet work annually to get to the Canadian Finals Rodeo? Do you know a rough estimate of what it cost (without factoring in truck/trailer cost) to make a run at the CFR?
I have a pretty good in with a vet so this question doesn't really apply to me.. But I can assure you even though you may think it's a lot, it's really not enough to cover the time, effort, emotional investment, and skill of whatever veterinarian you use. Vets work ridiculously hard and a good one is worth paying for. I'll get off my soapbox now. (Kirby is a veterinarian.)
I'm very fortunate to be supported by a number of great companies who make products that I truly feel are imperative to our success on the rodeo trail. These include Platinum Performance, who provide me with some phenomenal supplements that help keep Chic healthy, sound and feeling her best all year. I'm also fortunate to be paired with Boehringer Ingelheim, which is the company that makes Gastrogard, Legend, Vetera Vaccines, Prevequine, and sputolysin among other things. Interpath, who is the maker of 4Cyte helps me keep Chic's joints healthy despite the rigorous demands of her job. And finally, I've been able to keep her lungs healthier since starting to use the Flexineb nebulizer. Having the support of these companies really helps me manage costs for keeping Chic feeling great.
As for other costs, fuel can run $12-14,000 (can you censor this comment when my husband reads this?!) and entry fees are upwards of $5000 per year.
What was the best restaurant you stopped at all year? Any hidden gems to mention?
I try to eat pretty healthy on the road so I pack most of my food, but I can't resist stopping at Crooked Creek Store whenever I'm up north. Their fresh donuts are to die for! I used to stop as a reward when I had a good run and was placing, but now I stop pretty much any time I go by just as a reward for driving that far lol.
What is your least favourite part of being on the rodeo road, and what is your favourite?
The hardest part of being on the rodeo road is being away from my kiddos - they will come when able, but have their own activities and school as well so end up staying home a fair amount. I also get wayyy behind on housework and yard work, which is one of my favourite things about being on the road (ha) but stresses me out when I get back home and realize how much there is to do! My actual favourite thing about being on the rodeo road is that I get to focus on my horse. When I'm home I work as a veterinarian and spend most of my time focused on other people's horses, so it's nice to be able to give Chic my undivided attention while on the road. That's probably why she's so excited to jump on the trailer each weekend!
What therapies are a must have for your horse?
Chic loves the Smart RLT Regenerative Sport Laser. She starts licking and chewing as soon as she hears the fan turn on when the machine is powered on! We use it throughout the season to keep her feeling good. Chic has a lot of allergies so we can't go anywhere without our Flexineb to help keep her lungs healthy and our Platinum Derm Support allergy formula. I religiously use Soft Ride boots in the trailer to help reduce the impact and concussion on her bones and joints that's inevitable when these horses rattle down the road in the trailer for hours on end. Chic also has a regular massage schedule, and gets chiro when needed.
How do you manage to balance life at home/work with life on the road?
I just peace out and my husband takes care of the rest. For real though, I am incredibly lucky to have a husband that is willing to help me load/unload/reload the trailer every week and then take care of the kiddos and all of the other critters at home while I'm gone. I am also very fortunate to have a team at Burwash Equine Services who can hold down the fort while I'm away. I try my best to be available as much as possible, but the other vets at the practice inevitably wind up picking up some of the slack for me, and for this I am incredibly grateful.
Who did you travel with this year? Do you have a funny or heart warming story you could share about your time together, or anything you would like to share about them?
I fly solo a lot of the time. My work schedule sometimes means I can't leave when I'd like to, or I need to be back to get to work. I will also often leave after the kids are in bed. I don't like making people wait for me or not being able to commit to a time, so it's often easier for me just to jump in the truck and go when I can. On the trips where it does work to have a travel buddy, I sure do enjoy the company though!
How are you preparing for the Canadian Finals Rodeo practise wise? What is your routine like to be ready for Edmonton?Nothing fancy! Just keeping Chic fit and firing. I'll spend time getting my mental game in order to help manage the nerves and excitement.
If your horse was an actor/actress in a movie, who would play them, or if your horse was a character from a movie, which character do they remind you of and why?
Chicken Little! Chic is scared of everything! She's worse than my 5 year old most days!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up, and what do you do now?
A rancher. But this didn't seem like it would be quite as beneficial for supporting my barrel racing addiction, so I became a vet instead!
If you could swing a leg over another qualifier's horse, who would it be and why?
Taylor Cherry's mount Blazing Sugar Daddy - he has such a neat style and seems like such a cool dude. Also wouldn't mind if him and Chic met in a back alley somewhere. lol.
How many barrel horses do you currently have in your string, tell us about them?
Chic is my main horse and gets the call most days. I also have a five year old we raised called Bobby (Fix N To Win) that I ran once or twice this year, and I'm hoping to get more seasoned and solid over the winter.
What is your advice for someone who wants to take a shot at making the Canadian Finals Rodeo?
As Walt Disney said, "If you can dream it, you can do it". Set your intention and then work towards that every single day. Don't get outworked. Be proud of every step that you take towards that goal.
It takes a village to make this happen, and I am lucky to have a great one. Thanks to my husband for supporting this crazy dream no matter what. Thanks to my friend, Shannon Northcott, for always being there and listening when I need to vent, giving me a pep talk or a kick in the pants when I need it, and helping me out whenever I ask! Thanks to Cub Wright for jumping in the truck for the longest trek of the year out to Manitoba and for sharing your advise and wisdom with me. Thanks to the team at Burwash Equine Services for holding down the fort and helping me keep Chic happy and healthy. Thanks to all my clients who are understanding when I am away. And thanks so much to my team of sponsors, including Platinum Performance, Boehringer Ingelheim, 4Cyte by Interpath and Flexineb by Nortev.
