ProRodeo Sports News - 2021 Year End Edition

MAPLE LEAF CIRCUIT FINALS

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN

Tie-down roper shines at finals Bird's the Word ALLY GALLAGHER Special to the ProRodeo Sports News W hen Logan Bird became the 2021 Maple Leaf Circuit year-end champion, he did so with a heavy heart. One week prior to the Maple Leaf TOP MONEY WINNER Kole Ashbacher ($5,860 in saddle bronc riding) BAREBACK RIDING TOP SCORES Ashbacher

1. Cole Goodine ............... 331 pts. on 4 2. Ty Taypotat .............................. 328.5 3. Kody Lamb .............................. 323.5 STEER WRESTLING 1. Stephen Culling .......... 18.4 sec. on 4 2. Cody Moore ............................... 20.2 3. Trevor Duhon ............................. 25.1 SADDLE BRONC RIDING 1. Kole Ashbacher ......... 324.5 pts. on 4 2. Lucas Macza ............................ 321.5 3. Sam Kelts ................................... 318 TEAM ROPING 1. K. Bonnett/L. Bonnett . 26.1 sec. on 4 2. T. McLeod/C. Ullery .................... 29.2 3. L. Spady/K. Bonnett ................... 33.4 TIE-DOWN ROPING 1. Jesse Popescul ........... 38.4 sec. on 4 2. Logan Bird ................................. 48.4 3. Riley Warren .............................. 51.2 BARREL RACING 1. Shelby Spielman ......... 55.2 sec. on 4 2. Lisa Zachoda ............................ 55.34 3. Taylor Manning ........................ 55.61 BULL RIDING 1. Jared Parsonage ....... 325.5 pts. on 4 2. Griffin Smeltzer ................ 253.5 on 3 3. Tanner Eno .................................. 249

Circuit Finals, held Nov. 24-27, Bird’s tie-down roping horse, TJ, passed away from a ruptured aortic aneurysm. Despite losing TJ, Bird responded to the tragedy with success. He took first place in Round 1 with an 8.9-second run, and second in the average aboard another horse of his, Peso. “It was my first rodeo without TJ and after the first-round win, I said, ‘That one was for TJ,’” said Bird. “I mean, that was a really tough week leading up to it because TJ’s done so much for me and my life. “It gets better with time, and I just try to remember all the good times we had with TJ. You know, nothing lasts forever.” Bird earned $12,344 to win the circuit, with nearly $3,000 of his winnings coming from the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals Rodeo. After a successful week in Regina, Sask., Peso made the trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo with Shane Hanchey, who won the 2020 NFR with TJ. There, fellow tie-down roper Westyn Hughes also made runs on Peso. At the NFR, Hanchey took home the buckle for Round 1 with 7.4 second run. In rounds 7 and 8, both Hanchey and Hughes won money on Peso. Bird said being able to see any of his horses perform on the world’s stage is nothing short of awesome. “I take pretty good pride in my horses because I trained them and made them what they are,” Bird said. “I’m just proud to have them do that good and glad that Shane and people ride them and show the world how good they really are.” Heading into the 2022 season, Bird is ready to travel south for indoor rodeos. Spending most of the winter in Arizona, he said he’ll also be competing at Fort Worth (Texas) Stock Show Rodeo, San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, and the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (Denver, Colo.). With his Maple Leaf Circuit win, Bird will also rope at the 2022 NFR Open powered by RAM in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 13-16. “(The NFR Open) will be good,” Bird said. “I’m looking forward to that, and I should be able to go to the Calgary Stampede too, so that’ll be a busy week for me.”

Complete results/Page 81

Billie-Jean Duff photo

Logan Bird won the 2021 Maple Leaf Circuit year-end title with an impressive showing at the circuit finals, Nov. 24-27.

ProRodeo Sports News 12/17/2021

ProRodeo Sports News 12/17/2021

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