Lisa Groves CFR 2025
Lisa Groves and her great horse ALG CASHFLO (Perks French Cash x HA SWEET N LOW) aka Moolah, are back for their second Canadian Finals Rodeo. They competed at 51 rodeos, placing at 21, and won the Buffalo Lake Metis Settlement Rodeo, bringing home $28,480.44 in the 2025 season. Lisa’s son, Logan Groves will also be in Edmonton competing in the Team Roping as the number twelve heeler.
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What is your main mounts back story
Aaron and I raised Moolah. Our son, Brody, purchased him from us when he was a two year old. In his futurity (5 yr old) year, I was training and hauling him, while Brody was hauling one of our's to the rodeos, so we traded.
I actually struggled with him at the beginning. He lacked intensity and he was not like the others from our program that I had trained. He fit more to the running side, rather than the quick footed, cow bred types that I had always ridden. I rode with Bertina Olafson a couple of times in Arizona. She owns Perks French Cash and had trained several of them. She helped me make a few small changes and he just made steady progress from that point on.
What makes him special is his consistency. He runs the same, most every time.
*If this is your first CFR, tell readers how it feels to have qualified to the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, and what are you most excited for?
This is my 2nd CFR, but I am just as excited this year as I was last year. I am excited to get to know the new girls coming in a little better, and enjoy time with my family and friends in Edmonton.
What was your most memorable run this season, and what made it memorable?
My run/ win at Buffalo Lake was probably my favourite. He unloaded off the trailer the night before, spooked and sheared a back shoe off. Thankful that Ty Livingston was there to tack it back on. He was spooky and snorty the whole time I was up there, and tried to buck a little in practise. I lunged him that morning because he was still being strong! He carried all that enthusiasm to our run and worked amazing!
What was different about your rodeo season this year compared to last year?
2025 was a complete opposite of my 2024 season. In 2024, my first cheque was at Innisfail, and we made steady gains all summer, right to the end. We won $0 at the spring indoors. In 2025, we started strong, placing at all but 2 of the spring indoors, had a great May and June up until I had some bad luck drawing the mud, then placed again steadily through July. In August, Moolah was struggling with some allergies and just not himself, so we weren't as competitive. I was so happy to have him feeling good throughout the BC run, and despite not being his favourite type of ground at those three (deeper), he managed to win a little money out of Langley.
What challenges did you face this year, and how did you overcome them? How do you keep confidence when things aren't going as planned, or you are in a slump?
Dealing with his allergies was very hard. I struggled at first to figure out why he wasn't running as good as he could. When I finally figuring out that it was allergies, it cost me another couple of weekends trying to figure out what was causing it. I lost a lot of opportunities in those three weeks. I fell from 5th all the way to 11th and it was extremely hard on my confidence. I had to try really hard to get in a better head space and remind myself that I was still in a position to make the finals. I started thinking I was beat before it happened, and I know better!
My mental game up until this happened was always pretty solid, but when I went from placing every weekend, to a losing streak, it was really hard to keep thinking forward. I had to keep my memory short when I had a bad run, and stay focused on all the positive outcomes, rather than the negative "what ifs".
Tell readers something good that happened to you this season, other than winning or placing at a rodeo?
Spending time with my husband, Aaron, in Arizona, enjoying our horses, and enjoying time with our friends and neighbours. We are so fortunate to have so many good people in our lives on both sides of the border.
Watching our younger son, Brody excel at the college rodeos, particularly in the Tie Down roping (his other event), winning season leader and having a great finals in both of his events. Watching our older son, Logan qualify for his first CFR in the team roping. I am excited that he will get to have the experience.
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 to be honest and say that if I have to attach a cost to rodeo, I will probably have to stop rodeoing. My goal each year is to earn a little more than what I spend, while I enjoy a sport and a lifestyle that I love. All while building value in the horses that we raise. I can honestly tell you that when I die, I would like to come back as a pro rodeo barrel horse - they live a pretty amazing life!
What was the best restaurant you stopped at all year? Any hidden gems to mention?
Aaron and I love food, so we managed to find a few gems when he was with me... Spoon & Bowl Bistro in Swift Current for Vietnamese, Rojo Marron - Authentic Mexican in Hinton. Bowl'd Revelstoke was super, and Neko Sushi in Edson.
What is your least favourite part of being on the rodeo road, and what is your favourite?
I HATE travelling alone! When Aaron couldn't come with me, or I didn't have a travelling partner, it was not the same for me. My favourite part is just getting to be there, doing what I love and spending time with my horses.
What therapies are a must have for your horse?
I like to use a variety of therapy "tools". XLR8 products for trailering and standing around on the road. We also like the TSR Pulsate PEMF blankets, equiscope treatments when we can, and routine shockwave. We have a body worker of some kind (osteo and / or chiro) work on our horses atleast monthly. Most importantly, I like our vet, Dr Ty Corbiel to have his hands on Moolah once a month at a minimum. He is usually the first to recognize when something has changed with Moolah and may need to be addressed.
How do you manage to balance life at home/work with life on the road?
This year, I focussed more on our horse life and rodeo, and worked much less at my "real job" than I have in the past (and I loved it - semi retirement!). Aaron is a huge help at making this lifestyle a reality for me, whether he's away working to keep our bills paid, or home riding my other horses while I'm on the road, he is a huge part of my success. And I need to make special mention of my help at home when we are both away - Kaylee Fossen has been a part of our life since we moved to this area almost 20 years ago, and she continues to step in and help whenever we ask. A valued friend that we appreciate so much.
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?
Started the year with my good, ol' faithful travelling partner, Janet Moen and we always enjoy our trips together. Janet's season changed directions in early July, so I travelled with Aaron mostly (always great) and made short trips with Jill Parsonage and Val Gillespie. Great ladies that I enjoyed visiting and spending time with. No crazy, funny stories, just good people to be around.
How are you preparing for the Canadian Finals Rodeo practise wise? What is your routine like to be ready for Edmonton?Really working hard to get Moolah's respiratory system healthy at the current moment. That will be my main focus for the weeks leading up to the finals.
I like to ride out in the hills, and keep him out of the arena, so I'll continue to do that and look for a couple of jackpot runs towards the end of September before finals to get him ready. I am really big on consistency in his program so there will be no major changes from what we did all summer.
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?
"Fear" from Inside Out. Always on high alert, notices everything, very reactive!
When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up, and what do you do now?
I wanted to be a Range Management specialist of some type. I applied to college in Olds for that program and at the last minute before it was supposed to start, the funding for the program was cancelled, and they put me into the next closest thing, which was Land Reclamation. I am a Land Reclamation Consultant and I love it, despite not even knowing what that meant when I started the program.
If you could swing a leg over another qualifier's horse, who would it be and why?
That's tough! There are so many nice horses! Probably would have to chose Taylor's young mare, Praise. For her age, she's amazing and I have my own Slick By Design baby in the pasture that I have big dreams for.
How many barrel horses do you currently have in your string, tell us about them?
4 in total that are running, all of which we have raised, and another group of young ones coming up.
ALG CASHFLO "Moolah" (by Perks French Cash o/o HA SWETN N LOW) my main guy at the moment. He is 7. He qualified me to my first CFR in 2024, as well as the Tour Finals in Armstrong and the Maple Leaf Finals, as a six year old. He was great at the end of his Futurity year and has been great at the Derby's where I've been able to enter him. He's spooky, watchy, snorty and on occasion will spook at a first barrel, but he seldom knocks one - 3 this entire season and 5 in his lifetime.
ALG JUNO MY ROOSTER "Leroy" (by Little Lenaroo, o/o A Royal Revre) is 15 and he's the one that brought me up to the pro rodeos level. He hasn't made many runs in 2025 because of all the young ones, but he is very special to me. I filled my permit on him, he had won a lot for me and he loves his job more than any horse I have ever ridden.
ALG MFC "Mini" is a 7 year old mare (by Little Lenaroo, o/o ALG I GOT DAT LOOK). The first born out of my amazing mare, "Shadow" that was a Canadian Barrel Futurity Champ back in 2013. "Mini" was actually the stronger of the two, between her and "Moolah" in their futurity year, and placed in the top 10 at many of the ones that I entered. She has been asked to make some really hard runs on less than ideal ground this year, and I am so proud of her for making those runs for me. She placed at Medicine Lodge in 2024 and a handful of CCA rodeos. Really gritty little mare!
ALG SWEET N ROYAL "Gem" is a 5 yr old mare (by Barely Royal, o/o HA SWEET N LOW). I have not made nearly as many runs on "Gem" as I should have because I've been on the road so much, but I absolutely love this one. She's crazy fast. She can move across a pen faster than anything I've ever owned, and I can't wait to get her solid. She's brave, gritty and I think she will be a phenomenal rodeo horse when she's finished.
What is your advice for someone who wants to take a shot at making the Canadian Finals Rodeo?
It's a big commitment getting to the top and staying there. If you feel you are meant to be there, keep entering until it happens. Be mentally strong enough to win or lose with grace. You will lose more than you win!
I need to give a special shout out to Aaron, of course. He has seen me at my best and worst this year with all the highs and lows, and crazy enough, he still loves me!
To Sam Smith, XLR8 Equine Canada. I swear, Sam believed in Moolah and I, before I even did and she was the first to approach me about being a product ambassador. Thank you, Sam.
Thanks to CorVeterinary Services , Dr. Ty Corbiell and his team for doing the very best for "Moolah" and all of our horses, all season long. Much appreciated.
Thanks to Chelsey Cummings at TSR Pulsate for sending "Moolah" and I off to the CFR with a complete set of PEMF products to keep him feeling great.
To all the wonderful people that allow us to stay with them throughout the year and make the hauling a little less stressful for the horses, thank you! We appreciate you all.
Thanks to all the CPRA personnel, especially to our Director, Donna, for being a great representative for us within the CPRA BOD.
Special thanks to all the girls that have been helping me to get "Moolah" feeling great again. Many of you were competing for a spot for the finals yourselves, and didn't have to help me succeed - but you did. I will forever be grateful to you ladies. This is what I truly love about rodeo in Canada. We are all so kind to each other.
To every sponsor, committee member, volunteer and event producer that makes this lifestyle possible. Thank you!!
