Photo by The Cowboy Channel

What is the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR)

The Canadian Finals Rodeo is final event of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association (CPRA) season. This event is held in Edmonton, Alberta for a week, generally during the first week of October. The CFR hosts the 10 leading money winners of each event throughout the Canadian circuit season, as well as the 1st and 2nd place winners in each event from the last 10 rodeos of the season. Each event has six rounds throughout the five days of events. The event has fun for all, including themed nights. Each night has a posted theme / dress code. For example, night one was Heritage Night where everyone is asked to wear Fringe and Turquoise. It is also a week filled with Western Heritage, showcasing trade show exhibits, western art shows, educational workshops and more. The event holds more like concerts, after parties, buffets, and kids zones.

History of the CFR

The CFR has been held in Edmonton, Alberta at Northlands Coliseum starting in 1974 until 2017, where it then got moved to Red Deer, Alberta for 2018 to 2023. Although now it is back to being held in Edmonton at Rogers Place. Before 2006, Canadian Residents were the only competitors who could qualify and participate in the CFR. As the years have gone on, international competitors are now eligible for qualifying and competing. From 1974 to 2007, the CFR had a special format where the competitors did not carry over any prize money earned during their season to the finals. During each round, the top 4 finishers would earn points from 40 to 10. By the end of the events, the top 4 in the average scores, total times or score across rounds, received points on the same scale. The competitor who would be named Canadian Champion, was the individual who had the highest score/points in their event.

However things changed in 2008 when the competitors ask for the CFR format to be more like the National Finals Rodeo in the United States. Now, the competitors are able to carry over their winnings from the season and any money won during the CFR is added to their season total. This means that the contestant with the most earnings in their event at the end of the CFR is declared champion. The contestants asked for the NFR format because it was impossible to secure a season title before finals, and having the NFR format would help boost the participation within smaller late season rodeos.

Events at the CFR

Rough Stock Events

Image by Chantelle Bowman

These events include Bareback Bronc, Saddle Bronc and Bull Riding. These events are judged by two judges, each evaluating a side of the rider and the stock. Each judge scores the rider and stock due out of 50, 25 points are for the rider technique, which includes spurring and maintaining balance without using free hand. The other 25 points are on the stocks performance, which includes bucking intensity. They are then ranked out of 100. The rider must complete the 8 second ride in order to be properly judged and ranked.

Bareback Bronc

  • Rider uses leather rigging instead of a saddle
  • Rigging acts as a handle
  • The “Mark Out Rule” is the rule that when the gate opens, the rider’s feet must be above the horse’s shoulder breaks.
  • Scoring is based on the riders control and spurring the horse in sync with the bucking.
  • If the rider touches the horse, equipment or body with free hand or falls off the horse before 8 seconds, their ride results as a “no time”
  • If rider completes the 8 second ride, their ride is then ranked by the two judges who are each scoring them up to 50 points, once points are put together their final score is out of 100.

Saddle Bronc

  • Rider uses a special saddle without a horn and has forward-set stirrups
  • The “Mark Out Rule” also applies to Saddle Bronc Riding.
  • Once the horse first jumps, the rider spurs synchronized with the horses movements. Riders legs are straight when the bronc comes down from the buck/jump and their spurs are used towards the back of the saddle during the top of the buck/jump.
  • If the rider touches his equipment, horse or body or does not last the required 8 seconds their rides results in a “no time”
  • If rider completes the 8 second ride, their ride is then ranked by the two judges who are each scoring them up to 50 points, once points are put together their final score is out of 100.

Bull Riding

  • Bull Riding is the most dangerous event.
  • The rider uses a braided rope to hold on, which goes around the bulls girth. and is then looped around the riders hand and gripped tightly.
  • Spurring is optional as the main goal is to ride the bull for the 8 seconds.
  • If the rider touches his equipment, bull or body or does not last the required 8 seconds their rides results in a “no time”
  • The judges assess the ride points based on the difficulty of the bull’s movements (spinning, jumping and bucking) and the riders control and central balance.

Timed Events

Image by Global News 2019 CFR

These events include Steer Wrestling, Tiedown Roping, Team Roping, Breakaway roping and Barrel Racing. In each event there is a designated barrier line from the event box or set of timers that the contestant crosses in order for their time to start. For the roping and wrestling events, the rider and horse start in a timed event box where a rope barrier is across the front, this provides a head start for the stock in the chute. These four events also have a Field Judge who is on horseback in the arena and signals when the run is complete by waving a flag. Whereas Barrel Racing is not judged and soul a timed event. Each of the events have their own set of rules that ensure fairness and consistent standards in competition with other stock. If the contestants do not follow these rules their ride will likely result in a “no time”. The timed events are events that highlight both the rider and horses skills and their ability to work as a team.

Steer Wrestling

  • Also known as Bull Dogging
  • The rider will exit the box, dismount their horse and proceeds to wrestle the steer to the ground.
  • The “Hazer” is responsible for keeping the steer running in a straight line out of the chute.
  • Their time gets stopped when the steer’s direction is changed and their four legs point the same way.

Team Roping

  • This is a team of 2 event : the header and the heeler.
  • The header ropes first and is responsible for roping the steers horns or neck, where they position the steer for the heeler to catch.
  • The heeler ropes second and is responsible for roping the steers hind legs.
  • The timer is stopped when the horses are facing each other and the steer is in the middle with no slack in their ropes.
  • The “legal” head catches include both horns, half head and neck.
  • The team gets a five second penalty added to their time if only one hind leg is roped.

Tie Down Roping

  • In tie-down roping, the rider is timed on roping the calf, dismounting their horse and then tying three of the calfs legs.
  • The timer gets stopped when the rider raisers their hands which signals completion
  • After the rider remounts and slackens the rope, the calf must remain tied for 6 seconds.
  • “No time” is given out if the calf gets up before 6 seconds or if there is not a legal tie.

Breakaway Roping

  • Riders are required to rope the calf around the neck (bell collar catch).
  • There is a string that attaches the rope to the saddle horn and it will break upon pulling and releasing the calf and rope.
  • the judge is repsonsible for stopping the timer by dropping a flag.
  • Riders get a “no time” if they do not have a clean bell collar catch.
  • The fastest time is the winner of the event.

Barrel Racing

  • A timed event for cowgirls
  • The competitors ride in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels.
  • Time starts once they cross the timer line entering the arena and to stops once they cross it on their way out.
  • Riders are allowed to touch the barrel to avoid it falling over, if the barrel falls the rider gets 5-seconds to their time.
  • Breaking the pattern results in “no time”.

Sources

Canadian Finals Rodeo, https://www.cfr.ca.

Canadian Pro Rodeo Association, “Canadian Finals Rodeo”, https://rodeocanada.com/canadian-finals-rodeo/, 12 October 2024.

“Canadian Finals Rodeo.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Finals_Rodeo#:~:text=The%20CFR%20takes%20place%20in,usually%20worth%20over%20C%241%2C000%2C000.