The bulls were rank and the riders were ready as cowboys, stock contractors and spectators alike all rang in the new year at the Bull Bash and American Bucking Bulls Inc. (ABBI) Classic Finals, held at the Calnash Ag Event Centre.
The New Year’s Eve event saw 29 of the industry’s top bull riders compete for the championship title. Meadow Lake’s Cody Coverchuck walked away the champion with approximately $2,000, after being only one of two cowboys to complete a qualified ride in both the long and short go.
“(I’m) going into 2018 feeling good,” said Coverchuck of his win.
Coverchuck says it is always good bull riding at the Calnash Ag Event Centre in Ponoka, and he feels the bull riding event and cabaret to follow was a pleasant way to start the new year.
“It’s perfect. We get to do what we love as bull riders,” said Coverchuck.
For the long go, the riders were able to choose their bulls, and Coverchuck had previous experience on Ulterras Teal Steel, of Wild Hoggs/Chimelnyk. He earned 84.5 in the long go.
Coming back in the short go as one of eight, Coverchuck rode a bull he had not heard much of before. “He was just a nice one, spun to the left which is how I like them.”
Bringing in the top score of 171 on two bulls, Coverchuck was flanked only by Jared Parsonage, who earned 166 on two.
But Coverchuck was not the only winner named over the course of the evening.
The ABBI Canadian Division Classic Finals saw the first 25 bulls to buck — all three and four year olds — compete for the Bull of the Year title.
Happy Camper of Two Bit Bucking Bulls sent cowboy Dylan Somerville to the ground early and was named the ABBI Classic Bull of the Year.
Bull of the Evening was awarded to Ripped at the Seams, a Rafter G Cattle/Vold Rodeo bull.
Xtreme Bullfighters Chris Buffalo, Jordan Swanson and Brett Monea entertained the crowds with a freestyle bullfighting competition. Monea was named the winner with a score of 81.5.
As 2018 loomed and most everyone started to look to the future and a new year, the Bull Bash took a moment to honor the past and one of the sport’s most beloved, Ty Pozzobon. The 25-year-old bull rider took his own life in early January of 2017.
Pozzobon was a champion bull rider and talented stock contractor. Canadian Outlaw, a bull that had been purchased by Pozzobon, was briefly paraded through the arena during the bull bash as the announcement was made that $2,500 — all earned by Canadian Outlaw — was being donated to the Ty Pozzobon Foundation. The Foundation works to protect and support the health and well-being of rodeo competitors inside and outside the arena.
The Ty Pozzobon Memorial Award was given to Wild Hoggs for Breeder of the Year.
