Bareback

BAREBACK

This is the most physically demanding rodeo event. Using one arm, the cowboy holds onto the rawhide handhold of a riggin (a leather pad cinched around the horse's girth). The handhold is snug-fitting and is customized to the individual's grip. The stress on the rider's arm is intense as the riding arm absorbs most of the horse's power.

A bareback rider will be disqualified for touching the animal or equipment with his free hand, or bucking off before the end of the eight-second ride.

The bareback rider tries to reach as far forward as he can with his feet, then rolls his spurs back up toward the riggin. At the same time, he must keep from being pulled away from the handhold. The higher and wilder the rider spurs, the higher the marks.

Below is a list of contestants that have qualified for the Calgary Stampede.

Pool A

Cody DeMers

Birth Date:
1979-04-17
Hometown:
Kimberly, Idaho
Career Earnings:
$754,018

Cody enjoys hunting and roping
Has a younger brother, Buck who rides saddle bronc.


PRCA Standings
NFR (3)
Won 7 Bareback titles in 2008
Cody is a two time Calgary Stampede All-around and Average Champion as well as a Calgary Stampede $50,000 winner.

Heath Ford

Birth Date:
1977-08-22
Hometown:
Greeley, Colorado
Career Earnings:
$308,038

Heath’s favourite things about rodeo are the friends that he makes, and riding rank horses. The most (un)memorable moment that Heath has about rodeo came in March when he won second place at RodeoHouston while knocked unconscious!
Nephew of 5X World Champion Bareback Rider, Bruce Ford.
Heath also writes old-style country and country gospel music.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (2)
CFR (1)

Jake Marshall

Birth Date:
1980-07-08
Hometown:
Moree, AU
Career Earnings:

Originally from Australia, when Jake made the CFR he quit his job back home to make a name for himself in North America. He earned degrees at both the University of Sydney and West Texas College. If Jake could pick a reality show to star in, it would be The Bachelor. On a day off you can find Jake waterskiing at the lake near his home.
PRCA Standings
CFR (1)
2006 Australian Bareback Bronc Riding Champion

Jason Jeter

Birth Date:
1973-10-28
Hometown:
Mansfield, Texas
Career Earnings:

Jason has traveled to Alaska and Africa to pursue his interest of hunting and when not competing, writes for various hunting magazines about his adventures. He supports the Sky Ranch, a Christian camp for kids in Texas. He graduated with a bachelors degree in marketing from Sam Houston State in Texas.
Jason says the Calgary Stampede is one of his favorite rodeos and has only missed one or two since 1996.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (6)
In 2002 Jason won the average title at the NFR
2002 Reserve World Champion

Kelly Timberman

Birth Date:
1976-01-19
Hometown:
Mills, Wyoming
Career Earnings:
$919,178

Kelly chose bareback because his dad was also a bareback rider, and because he’s afraid to run from the bulls! His other interests include riding reining horses and colts, playing golf and fly-fishing.
Took a rodeo scholarship to Casper College, and studied Business Administration.
Kelly has one son, Chris and a daughter, Dayanera.


PRCA Standings
World Title (1)
Wrangler NFR (5)
CFR (2)
Won Round 4 of the 2008 Wrangler NFR with an 87.5-pointand placed in four other rounds on his way to a fifth-place finish in the average.

Kevin Taylor

Birth Date:
1985-05-28
Hometown:
Swift Current, SK
Career Earnings:
$32,528
Kevin finished 8th in the 2008 Canadian standings. He enjoys hockey and hunting, anything outdoors that is! Outside rodeo Kevin is a farrier and works with home renovations.
PRCA Standings
CFR (2)
Kenton Randle BB Series Champion 2007-2008

Kyle Bowers

Birth Date:
1977-02-04
Hometown:
Brooks, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$410,930

Kyle had a great year in 2008, winning ten rodeos across Western Canada. After an injury during his steer wrestling days this cowboy currently competes with no ACL. Hobbies include golf and skiing.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (2)
CFR (6)
Kyle was the 2005 Rodeo Royal co-champion and the 2003 Canadian Bareback Champion where he rode Calgary Stampede's world champion Grated Coconut for a record 90 point ride.
2008 CPRA Bareback Champion.

Matt Lait

Birth Date:
1983-03-08
Hometown:
Seven Persons, AB
Career Earnings:
$127,612

Matt’s best friend can be credited with giving him his start in rodeo. His favourite thing is the time spent with best friends, and his least favourite? “They don’t always let me win!” Matt has been competing since age 12 and also does woodworking when not competing.


PRCA Standings
CFR (4)
2007 Stavely Pro Rodeo All-Around and Bonnyville Pro Rodeo BB Champion.
2006 Strathmore Heritage Days BB Champion
2004 CPRA Season Leader and Calgary Stampede $25,000 Reserve Champion.

Russ Hallaby

Birth Date:
1978-09-26
Hometown:
Hanna, AB
Career Earnings:
$61,028

Russ has been competing as a bareback rider professionally for eight years and got his start with family members who were also in the sport. He has no pre-competition rituals, but does own a few “lucky” shirts. Russ married Teal two days after competing at the Calgary Stampede last year!


PRCA Standings
CFR(2)

Tim Shirley

Birth Date:
1982-02-21
Hometown:
Conifer, CO
Career Earnings:
$197,633

Tim started Bareback riding at the age of 16 on a bet, and was hooked after that. He enjoys working on his truck, hunting and working on remote-controlled gas-powered cars.Tim is one of five siblings and he and his wife Mindy are expecting their first child on July 5th, 2009!


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (1)
CFR (2)
He placed in five of 10 rounds of the 2008 NFR
Qualified for the NFR for the first time in 2008.

Pool B

Bobby Mote

Birth Date:
1976-06-03
Hometown:
Culver, Oregon
Career Earnings:
$1,245,726

Bobby has qualified 8 times in a row for the NFR and his greatest achievement has been winning the World Champion title – twice! Bobby has been rodeoing for a long time starting with pee wee rodeo. He credits Chis LeDoux songs for influencing him to choose the bareback event.
He and his wife Kate have two sons, Charlie and Trey Lucky, and one daughter Laura.
His hobbies include horse training, roping and fishing.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (2)
Wrangler NFR (8)
Won Rounds 2,5,7, and 9 of the Wrangler NFR on
Tied NFR record twice this past year with two 91.5-point rides

Cimmaron Gerke

Birth Date:
1982-06-02
Hometown:
Brighton, Colorado
Career Earnings:
$624,483

Cimmaron got his start in rodeo when he was just a kid, competing in little britches rodeo, then onto high school and college rodeo levels. He became a professional rodeo cowboy in 2001. Cimmaron was also the 2005 Calgary Stampede Bareback Average Champion. Career High Score – 92 on Calgary’s Fearless Warrior


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (5)
CFR (1)
Placed second in Round 5 at the Wrangler NFR with a 90.5 ride on Calgary Stampede’s Knight Rocket.
Cimmaron won the average title at the Calgary Stampede in 2005.

Clint Cannon

Birth Date:
1978-10-09
Hometown:
Waller, TX
Career Earnings:

Clint attended Stephan F. Austin State University where he played NCAA Division I football. Winner of the 2009 Houston Championship with a score of 92.5, Clint was also awarded 2003 Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year. To give back to the community, Clint is involved with the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund.
Career High Score – 92.5
PRCA Standings
PRCA Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year (2003)

Dustan McPhee

Birth Date:
1977-10-11
Hometown:
Hanley, SK
Career Earnings:
$42,454
Dustan is the CPRA Rookie of the Year for 2008 after competing for the first time in the CFR. He finished 4th in the 2008 standings and loves spending time with his family, riding and roping in his spare time. Dustan and his wife, Dawn, have one daughter, Delaney.
PRCA Standings
CFR (1)
CPRA Rookie of the Year for 2008

Dusty LaValley

Birth Date:
1981-05-30
Hometown:
Crooked Creek, Alberta
Career Earnings:
$285,167

Dusty’s older brother Trevor can be credited with giving Dusty his start in rodeo. Dusty is the 2008 Wrangler Rodeo Tour Bareback Champion and was the Canadian champion in 2006 and 2007! His most memorable moment was winning his first Canadian title.

Career High Score – 91 on Calgary’s Grated Coconut


PRCA Standings
NFR (1) CFR (6)
Placed in six opf ten rounds at the 2008 NFR and was one of only four contestants to have 10 successful rides
2008 Wrangler Rodeo Tour Bareback Champion
Canadian Bareback riding Champion in 2006 and 2007

Justin McDaniel

Birth Date:
1986-10-10
Hometown:
Porum, Oklahoma
Career Earnings:
$479,755

Justin’s been competing for 17 years, and his favourite thing about rodeoing is the miles he’s traveled. He has set an arena record at the 2007 NFR with a 91.5-point ride. Justin played baseball, basketball and football before concentrating on rodeo. He wants to be the first roughstock cowboy since Murray to win the All-Around Gold Buckle.


PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR(2)
Won the Wrangler NFR average title with a record 859 points on the way to his first World Championship in 2008
Set an NFR record with a 91.5 ride in 2007
Wrangler ProRodeo Tour Champion in 2007

Kaycee Feild

Birth Date:
1987-03-04
Hometown:
Elk Ridge, UT
Career Earnings:
$150,383
Kaycee’s rodeo idol is his dad Lewis, a five-time PRCA world champion. Kaycee is also a past Calgary Stampede Novice Bareback Champion from 2006. In his time off, Kaycee is an avid snowmobiler and enjoys hunting and fishing.
PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (1)
Won Round 6 of the 2008 Wrangler NFR with a 90.5-point ride and placed in three of 10 rounds.
Won RodeoHouston’s Super Series II three-head average title in 2008

Ryan Gray

Birth Date:
1983-07-11
Hometown:
Cheney, Wash.
Career Earnings:
$624,483

Ryan began competing professionally in 2002. Ryan’s favourite thing about rodeo is all the travelling he gets to do, and the country he gets to see. Ryan married his wife, Lacy in 2006.
Career High Score - 91
PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (3)
Finished second-place in the average at the 2008 Wrangler NFR after placing in seven of 10 rounds.
Won Cheyenne Frontier Days 2008

Tilden Hooper

Birth Date:
1988-01-12
Hometown:
Carthage, TX
Career Earnings:
$101,005
Tilden qualified for the Wrangler NFR for the first time in 2008 winning round 10 with a 90-point ride. He studied at Panola Junior College before turning to rodeo full time in 2008, competing in 113 PRCA rodeos! His favourite rodeo to compete in is RodeoHouston “‘cause it’s close to home.”
PRCA Standings
Wrangler NFR (1)
Won Round 10 of the 2008 NFR
Won titles at 11 other rodeos in 2008

Will Lowe

Birth Date:
1982-12-24
Hometown:
Canyon, Texas
Career Earnings:
$1,327,970

Last year’s winner of the Calgary Stampede Bareback event, Will has been competing for 18 years. His favourite thing about rodeo is all the great people and places you get to see. His most memorable moment was when he filled out his first permit at his first rodeo in Abbeyville, KS.
Will has appeared in Sport's Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" for tying the Bareback World Record. He is married to wife, Tiffani, and enjoys training horses and fishing.


PRCA Standings
World Titles (3)
Wrangler NFR (7)
Placed in three of 10 rounds of the 2008 Wrangler NFR
In 2006 he won his third World title, also setting a single season earnings record in bareback riding.