Cowboys rope the Canadian Finals Rodeo

Page R3

The 1993 Canadian Finals rodeo in Edmonton saw four Native competitors, each a rookie at the CFR.

Kenton Randle of Fort Vermilion, Alta., competed in the bareback riding, Shawn Henry of Williams Lake, B.C. in the saddle bronc, Rick Henderson of Shell Lake, Sask., in the bull riding and Joseph Fox of Morley, Alta., in the boys' steer riding.

Making the CFR was an achievement for each of them; only the op 10 in each event - the top six isn the steer riding - are invited to CFR.

Randle had a good year, except that he tore his left bicep early on and carried the injury with him through 1993. Randle came into 1993 with a career earnings of $2,920, but he made $8,812 this year, and was able to qualify for the CFR on that basis.

"I was drawing fairly decent all year. And I rode down the middle," he said, indicating he didn't get the few real tough horses nor any that were poor stock.

Half of he marks in an event are given based on the performance of the stock; a docile or lazy horse or bull will do nothing for a cowboy. And drawing a killer every time would wear anybody out. Randle placed at 19 of the 44 rodeos have more than a single go-round: in 65 rodeos in Canada in 1992 there were 208 performances.

The 5'10", 185 lb. cowboy describes his best ride of 1993 as his Calgary Stampede date with High Chaparral Cophenhagen for which horse two weeks earlier at Swift Current, Sask., that Randle injured his shoulder and arm. It was a sweet victory for the two-time World Indian National Finals champion. He plans on finally taking the doctor's advice and resting his arm over the winter.

Shawn Henry has been a pro for two years, and he took career earnings of $2,163 into 1993 and added $10,699 to that this year. Henry's best ride of '93 was at the PNE when yhe drew Kingsway Skoal, the runner up for the world's best bucking horse. He scored an 82 there, and won the Sundre, Alta., rodeo on him. The horse, said Henry, has a huge heart and is "really hard to track." The 5'11, 180 lb. cowbow says he was thrilled to be back at the CFR; he had been in Edmonton in 1986 as a novice saddle bronc competitor. Rick Henderson had a "real good" spring, but struck a cold streak through June. The bull rider says he loves the feel of riding, along with the excitement and challenge. His best rides were when he drew Verne Franklin's Candyman at Cloverdale, B.C., in May and Dirty Harry at the Calgary Stampede. On those occasions, he felt more in control than normal.

Henderson won $11,017 in 1993, which he added to his previous career earnings of $23,625. He hopes to be able to travel to the U.S. for some of the bigger money events there in 1994, but plans on being in Regina and Hobbema later this year. At 5'11, 168 lbs., his goals are to return to the CFR "and do better, to win it," and to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

The story in the boy's steer riding was tiny Joseph Fox of Morley, Alta. Little Joe was the smallest competitor in the CFR. He turned 13 on the last day of the competition and managed to finish third in his event, against older and bigger boys.

The Grade 7 student took up rodeo four years ago, essentially teaching himself to ride,and bull ride. Fox takes rodeo seriously; he entered 28 rodeos and placed in five of them, earning $1,694 before the CFR. It was nothing for Joe; he won four of the rodeos in which he placed.

But this month Fox finished way back of winner Dennis Morton of Del Bonita, Alta., who edged Trevor Wittmack of Consort, Alta., by five points.

Fox looks forward to coming back in 1994 bigger, better, with more experience. "I'd like to come back and win, I guess," he says.

According to CPRA president Jim Dunn of Airdrie, Alta., that's what will happen for each of the four if they're successful again next year. The CFR is a big rodeo and it was the first year for each of them, he said.

"My first year I didn't do as well as I wanted to. I had the jitters, like I'm sure they did, at leas a bit. But it's been a learning experience and they'll do better because of it."

Of course, that's if they can get back. The toughest part of the CFR is probably qualifying for it. Each of them must avoid injury, draw good stock, and make the most of their opportunities. If they can do it, they'll be back and be much more successul.