PRORODEO Sports News - July 26, 2024

CALGARY, ALBERTA

CALGARY STAMPEDE

Meged continues streak north of border Adopted Son

BY TRACY RENCK P RCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion Haven Meged seems to have found a second home in Canada. On the heels of winning his first Canadian Professional Rodeo Association World Championship in 2023, Meged made more memories on July 14 by capturing the title at the storied Calgary Stampede. Meged, as the last cowboy out in the Final Four Showdown Round, clocked a 6.7-second run to claim the crown before 20,000-plus spectators at GMC Stadium. “This is a dream come true,” said Meged, 26. “Getting to win the Calgary Stampede is something I always wanted to win, and it is awesome to finally get it done.” Meged, the 2019 PRCA Tie-Down Roping World Champion, knew if he was going to claim glory at the prestigious rodeo, he was going to need to be quicker than 7.1 seconds, which is what Macon Murphy recorded to sit atop the leaderboard as the first man out. “I messed up a couple years ago (in the Showdown),” Meged said. “I knew I had to be 9.6 (seconds) … I knew I couldn’t back off this year. Macon Murphy made a great run, and I knew I had to go fast. I honestly thought I was beat when my horse stumbled, and we powered through it and made it work.” The win was special for Meged since his wife Shelby Boisjoli-Meged, the 2023 WPRA Breakaway World Champion, is from Langdon, Alberta, a small town outside of Calgary. “I wish my wife was here, she was busy heading to another rodeo, but all her family came, and it means the world to me to be able to have their support,” Meged said. When asked if he felt like an adopted Canadian Meged had a quick response. “I’m 50-50,” Meged said with a smile. Meged put his coveted victory in motion by capturing the victory in the 12-man semifinals with a stout 6.9-second run to move on to the Final Four. “I knew I couldn’t back off (in the Final Four),” Meged said. “I backed off a couple years ago and that cost me winning this rodeo, so I knew whether I broke the barrier or not, I wasn’t going to leave the arena being late. I knew I just had to back in there and be as fast as I could be.” Meged was quick to praise his horse, Little Punch. “I rode him at the NFR last year and being able to get to ride him here (in Calgary) was a dream come true,” Meged said. “It didn’t go very well the first three rounds and it was his second rodeo back and he was really good (July 14). He had been out since The American in February and it has been a long road without him, and it has been tough at some rodeos without him, but we pulled through. Fast setups are his kind of rodeos, so it was great to be able to get it done.”

TOP SCORES

TOP MONEY EARNER Jeff Askey ($64,617, bull riding) BAREBACK RIDING

Askey

1. R.C. Landingham.....................94 pts. 2. Rocker Steiner............................90.5 3. Leighton Berry ..............................89 STEER WRESTLING 1. Ty Erickson............................4.0 sec. 2. Don Payne....................................4.7 (Tie) Tyler Pearsons......................4.7 TEAM ROPING 1. J.C. Yeahquo/K. VonAhn........4.1 sec. 2. T. Wade/W. Thorp.........................4.4 3. B. Hall/K. Profili............................4.5 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Kade Bruno............................92 pts.* 2. Zeke Thurston.............................90.5 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Haven Meged.........................6.7 sec. 2. Macon Murphy ............................7.1 3. John Douch..................................8.4 BARREL RACING 1. Leslie Smalygo................16.940 sec. 2. Hailey Kinsel...........................16.986 3. Katelyn Scott..........................17.243 BULL RIDING 1. Chase Dougherty.......................NS** 2. Jeff Askey......................................NS *Bruno won a ride-off with Thurston after they tied in the Final Four Showdown Round **Dougherty and Askey split the win

Complete results/Page 84

Calgary Stampede photo by Covy Moore

Haven Meged acknowledges the sellout crowd at GMC Stadium in Calgary after winning the rodeo with a 6.7-second run in the Showdown Round.

ProRodeo Sports News 7/26/2024

ProRodeo Sports News 7/26/2024

ProRodeo.com

ProRodeo.com

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