Schiffner's next ride
Sports
Posted 1 month ago
Richard Saad
Standard Reporter
Despite getting bucked off on the last day of the Calgary Stampede, bull rider Scott Schiffner managed to win $25,000 in prize money at this year's most famous outdoor show. The result makes it one of Schiffner's most successful showings of the season so far.
Getting to the final four on Sunday, July 18, with a chance for a $100,000 prize, Schiffner was bucked off a bull named "Speed Dial" after the animal spun out quickly, forcing Schiffner to adjust in a matter of
seconds.
"He sure was a good bull," said Schiffner, adding that it was the first time he had been on "Speed Dial." The bull, a Canadian Champion bucking bull, was a lot to handle.
"That bull does whatever it needs to do to buck you off."
Douglas Duncan, from Alvin, Texas, won the contest with a score of 88. Despite not winning it all on Sunday, Schiffner felt like he performed well,
especially considering just how difficult the
competition was.
"It was pretty disappointing at the end to let that amount of money slip out of my hands but looking back on it, I feel I had a good showing," said
Schiffner, who is a former Calgary Stampede
champion, winning $50,000 in 2001.
"I had a good week leading up to the final four and any time you come away from a rodeo with $25,000, you are ecstatic," he said.Schiffner added that as with every rodeo he enters, his expectations for his
performance is nothing short of winning it all.
He's competed at the
Calgary Stampede every year since 1998, except for two years when he couldn't because of injury. As he likes to say, he is competing not just for the thrill of competition, but to make a living and with so much money on the table throughout the rodeo
circuit, winning it all is always the goal from the start. Up next for the bull rider is preparing for Heritage Days, a rodeo he feels has its own special charm.
In the past, Schiffner admits to having pretty good luck in Strathmore, which may account for why he considers Heritage Days one of the best events of the
season.
"It's definitely one of my favourite rodeos for sure," said Schiffner, adding that the hometown element is one of the contributing
factors in making it special year after year. Much more importantly for Schiffner, though, is the fact that the Heritage Days rodeo, which will be taking place this weekend, is one of the biggest rodeos in Canada.
It is now an important stop in the season for all the professional riders.
The points and the money accumulated in
Strathmore over the weekend go a long way in determining how well a rider is doing in the season and what kind of placement they'll get for the
championships in the fall.
"It's getting towards the end of the year and so
winning in Strathmore and doing well can really help get you ready for the Canadian Finals Rodeo," said Schiffner.
"It's always been one of my favourites, before I ever called Strathmore home, and now it's just that much better."
