Day five of the 2024 edition of the Ponoka Stampede is in the history books and who will be taking part in the Showdown on July 1 is coming into focus.
In bareback, Thorhild, Alta., cowboy Ethan Mazurenko added his name to the showdown list with an 84.75-point ride, putting him solidly in seventh place.
Moving to the timed-event end of the arena, a trio of riders added their names to the top 12 in tie-down roping.
Texan Trevor Hale ended up with a combined time of 19.4 seconds after two runs, moving him into sixth place.
Meanwhile, fellow Texan Quade Hiatt finished with a combined 20-flat after two, moving him into ninth place.
Stettler, Alta., cowboy Cooper Resch was in tenth place and hot on Hiatt's heels with a combined 20.2 after two.
In the professional steer-wrestling, the day added several cowboys to the top-12.
Dakota Elridge won the day with an aggregate time of 14.1 seconds after two runs, moving solidly into third place.
Meanwhile, South Dakota cowboy Elia Lord moved into sixth place with a combined run of 17.8 seconds.
Less than a second behind him, moving into seventh place, was Texan Rowdy Parrott with a combined run of 18.7 seconds.
Finally, half-a-second behind Parrot was Australian cowboy Darcy Kersh who moved into eighth place with a combined run of 19.2 seconds.
Moving back to the chutes for professional saddle bronc riding, Big Valley, Alta. cowboy Zeke Thurston won the day and moved into third place in the standings with an 85.50-point ride.
Hudson's Hope, B.C., cowboy Jake Watson moved into ninth place with an 84.75-point ride.
Positions 11 and 12 ended up a tie after day five action with Kole Ashbacher, of Arrowwood, Alta., and Lucas Macza, of High River, Alta., ending up with 84.25 points a piece.
Back at the timed event end, the hometown team of Jackson Braithwaite and Derek Hadland ended up with a combined time of 13.4 seconds after two runs, which was good enough to move them into sixth place.
Meanwhile, Cardston, Alta., cowboys Jade Shaw and Ty Cahoon punched their ticket into the finals with a combined run of 15.1 seconds, good enough to move them solidly into eighth place.
Remaining in the timed event end, Valerie Gillespie was the sole barrel racer to leave her mark as she moved into second place in the standings with a run of 17.490.
Finally, the day concluded at the chutes with bull riding.
Meeting Creek, Alta., cowboy Garret Green moved into fifth in the standings with an 84.25-point ride, winning the day.
Nick Tetz, of Alsike, Alta., also earned a scoring ride earning 81.75 points moving him into tenth place.
In addition to the above events, two other events took place including boy's steer riding, won by Beau Cavan of Cypress County, Alta., with a ride of 74 points, and Women's Ranch Saddlebronc, which had no scoring rides.
Entertainment for the day included cowgirl Piper Yule demonstrating her prowess with horses and John Payne, the One Armed Bandit & Co.
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