Earning one big championship is a big accomplishment.
However, when you have what Clay Guthrie has, coming home with two national titles doesn’t seem to come as too much of a shock.
Guthrie, 17, was a big contributing member to the Alberta Wolfpack Under-18 rugby club that won gold last weekend at the Canadian championship held in Calgary, adding it to the 2017 Canadian High School Rodeo steer wrestling championship he won in Nanton on the August long weekend.
“It was a sweet experience to win gold,” Guthrie stated in an interview Monday during a brief visit to Ponoka, whose father Craig lives here.
“We beat B.C. in the final following a full week of trying to get to know most of the guys you haven’t played with and finding a way to gel together.”
The Wolfpack, with Guthrie at grinding it out on the field at one of the flanker positions, edged out powerhouse B.C. 29-26 in the final Aug. 20.
Meanwhile three weeks earlier, Guthrie was digging into the ground in another fashion — bull dogging some steers on his way to easily capturing the championship buckle.
“My first two goes were really good, getting by spurs into the mix. Although, my third run was a bit of an adventure,” he said.
Guthrie posted the top times in the first two go-rounds — 4.6 and 5.6 seconds respectively. And even with his lengthily third run of 28.2, it was more than enough to capture the title.
As for the future, his next rodeo stint will be at the FCA finals as amateur. He is also hopeful of being able to continue with his steer wrestling and making another trip back to defend his Canadian championship in addition to finishing off his youth rugby career with another shot at a gold medal next fall.
“I’d still like to keep doing them both for now,” Guthrie added.
“After next year, I hope to turn pro in rodeo in a couple years, and as for rugby, I guess I’ll just play it by ear.”
