Three Canadian Cowboy Association champions were crowned Saturday at the Yorkton New Holland Rodeo dual sanctioned CCA/MRCA Rodeo at this year's Grain Millers Harvest Showdown.
This year the local rodeo hosted the CCA finals in the novice division for the rough stock events of bareback, saddle bronc, and bull riding.
Two of the champion buckles went to Australian cowboys who have spent the summer in Canada competing in events.
Jack Bredhauer topped the novice saddle bronc, while Luke Chaplain topped the novice bareback.
"It's a dream come true," said Bredhauer, adding it was the goal he had hoped for, but it had "a long, hard run" to get to it.
Bredhauer explained he flew to Canada in early May, and made Kennedy his home while he traveled the CCA rodeo circuit.
"I did about the whole circuit, 40 or 50 rodeos," he said, adding while there is rodeo in Australia "it's a great experience to come here.
"There's a great rodeo culture here."
As for the final weekend, Bredhauer said he felt the pressure of the final three rides, but said he simply "tried to get points" every time out
"You've just got to go with them and try harder."
Bredhauer would ride two of three on the weekend, scoring 135 on the pair for the win.
Chaplain would also cover two of the three horses he drew scoring a combined 124, one better than Lane Link of Maple Creek.
"I'm just proud being part of the finals," offered Chaplain, who said it came down to a good horse on his final; a ride that he managed to cover for 64 points.
Chaplain is a true novice, coming to Canada with limited experience.
"I just started riding in Australia," he said, adding he was taking training from an Anthony Thomas who really helped get him started.
Chaplain said there are rodeos in Australia which produce a lot of top cowboys but in Canada there are more events on a given weekend, and more what he termed "rider friendly" horses, the kind novices can learn on.
In Australian Chaplain worked on a cattle operation, and that was where he first rode rough stock. He said isolated cattle stations all have events where young cowboys ride wild horses, usually under an English saddle with competitors needing to crack a whip as they ride.
Looking ahead Chaplain hopes to be back in Canada in 2013 for more CCA rodeo action.
In the novice bull riding it was Austin Ireland of Biggar, SK., who took the buckle, managing a ride of 73 Saturday to be the only cowboy among the three finalists to make the whistle on a ride this weekend.
With the bulls dominating Ireland said he knew he needed to make his final ride.
"I knew one of us needed to ride one to win," he said.
But Ireland's final bull was not cooperating in the chutes, jumping and kicking and making it difficult for Ireland to settle in.
"That gets to your head a little bit," he said, adding "you just have to use it as your energy to get back on. You get nervous a little bit but you've got to talk yourself through it."
The win was a big one for Ireland who was limited to 10 rodeos this year with rib injuries, when normally he hits 35 to 40.
Once back in action Ireland said his ribs were on his mind until he was bucked off, hung up in the rigging and took another shot to the side and was all right.
The buckle Saturday night was Ireland's first, but the rider who has been at it since he was 10, says it will not be his last as his dream is to one day be on the Professional Bull Riding circuit.
