Champions crowned during final day of 90th Ponoka Stampede

PONOKA -- This year's Ponoka Stampede champions were crowned following Wednesday's final day of competition.

Scott Guenthner captured his second career Ponoka title in steer wrestling, finishing with a 4.7 to take the showdown round and earn a prize of $23,431. Rookie Falyn Thomson capped off the Ponoka Stampede as the champion in breakaway roping after recording a time of 2.9 seconds in the showdown round. 

"I drew a lot of good calves, and my horse worked really good all week," said Thomson. "The calves will work harder than a horse in a slop like that, but my horse was really good, and she loves the mud, so she was right there for me. She's a mud bogger, it doesn't faze her one bit."

In the bull riding category, Grady Young scored a 90.25 ride in the showdown to overcome Jacob Gardner to capture his first Ponoka title. Along with the trophy saddle, buckle, and jacket, Young also walked away with $19,962 in prize money. 24-year-old Quinten Taylor claimed the honors in saddle bronc after he rode Calgary's Dandy Delight to 88.75 points. 

Michelle Alley claimed the top spot in barrel racing after winning the finals, the showdown, and the overall Ponoka title. It was a mere one and a quarter points separating the four bareback riding finalists in the showdown round, but coming out on top was the 2022 Canadian Champion Ty Taypotat, who drew his old friend from the Calgary Stampede pen, Agent Lynx.

"That’s a phenomenal bucking horse," said Taypotat. "I've been on him four times. I couldn't be happier, honestly."

The champion's spoils in the tie-down roping were claimed by Shane Hanchy, who's no stranger to the Ponoka winner's circle. The Louisiana cowboy, who now makes his home in Texas, won the rodeo in 2016 and 2022, and took the average in 2012. Local horse trainer Derek Hadland and his heeling partner Jeremy Buhler came away with the title in team roping as the only one of the four teams to make a clean run in the showdown, with a 7.9 second run.