Pro Rodeo Canada
For Immediate Release
August 14, 2012
Another youngster is making waves on the Canadian pro rodeo bull riding front.
Dakota Buttar, a 19-year-old out of Kindersley, Sask., got himself back in to the top 12 in the standings with an 88-point score on a Kesler family Hereford bull called Safe Bet to win this past weekend’s Wrangler Canadian Tour Series stop at Dawson Creek, B.C.
The trip returned $2,955 and hiked his earnings for the year to an 11th best $18,743. Buttar, in his second year as a pro, was as high as seventh in the rankings three weeks ago, but a brief slump saw him slide out of the 12-man cut for the year-ending Canadian Finals Rodeo at Edmonton.
With the season down to its last 11 rodeos, he’s still got some work to do.
A year ago, he would have already qualified for the CFR with the money he’s earned so far. But, the bull riders at the top end of the standings are winning more this year and it will take better than $20,000 to advance to Edmonton.
Even so, Buttar, a superstar at the amateur level in 2010 and dominant in high school rodeo last year, is pleased with his improvement in the pro ranks.
A year ago, he wound up his rookie season 28th in the standings with $8,868.
His trip on Safe Bet was a prime example of how the lefthander has stepped up this season. The bald-faced 1,850 lb., six-year-old jumped out, turned back into his hand, came out of it and went to the right. Buttar never wobbled.
“It was the first time I drew him, but I’d seen him lots and he’s just a good money bull if you ride him,” he said.
Buttar acknowledged that he’ll have to work every one of the last 11 rodeos, starting with Jasper, Pincher Creek and Cranbrook, B.C., this week.
“I like the ones I drew at Jasper and Pincher Creek,” he said. “I’ve been on the one I got at Pincher Creek and I didn’t place on him. But, he’s really improved since our first match in March.”
Buttar has placed at eight of 29 rodeos this year and won first at two of them. He cashed fourth in the first round at Innisfail, won a round at Ponoka and ended up fourth in the aggregate there and, course, won Dawson Creek.
His results from those three Wrangler Tour rodeos locks him into the Tour championships at Armstrong, B.C., on Labor Day week.
Other event winners at Dawson Creek included Oregon’s Steven Peebles in the bareback riding ($2,718), Minnesota’s Tyler Corrington in the saddle bronc riding ($2,481), Dean Edge in the tie-down roping ($2,241), Gaileen Babcock in the barrel racing ($2,351) and Levi Simpson and John Robertson in the team roping ($1,740 each). Kyle Thompson and J.D. Hays split the steer wrestling with times of 3.7 seconds for $2,513 apiece.
* Thomson also cashed fifth in the bronc riding with 78.5 points for $827.
* Luke Butterfield held onto 15th place in the world standings by tying for second in bronc riding, worth $1,809.
* Clayton Moore remains 18th in the world steer wrestling rankings after cashing a split of sixth at Dawson Creek for $955. He also tied for third in the tie-down to pick up another $1,681.
Detailed results for Dawson Creek and La Crete are available on the CPRA website.
This weeks rodeo action takes pro cowboys and cowgirls to Jasper (Aug 15-18) and Cranbrook and Pincher Creek (Aug 17-19).
Pro Rodeo Canada
Airdrie, Alberta
Phone: (403) 945-0903
Email: cpra@rodeocanada.com
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