Local PBR superstar in Eatonia's Dakota Buttar kicks off his Calgary Stampede bull riding run today in Pool C, but the early attention has gone to another West Central native, 19-year-old Grady Young from Leader who took two first place finishes on route to top spot in Pool B.
Young impressed with a 91-point ride on Monday and then followed that up with an 87 on Tuesday to finish first both days. Young was bucked off on Wednesday's ride but still finished first place with 178 points and a nice $14,400 in prizes.
Only needing a Top 3 finish to advance, Young is now off to championship Sunday. He is one of six riders now set to compete in the final round, joining Trey Benton III, and Jesse Petri from Pool B, and JR Stratford, Hayes Weight, and Tristen Hutchings from Pool A, all visiting the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth from the USA.
The championship field will be set after Buttar, and nine other riders compete in Pool C Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Buttar will be the eighth competitor on Thursday night, riding OLS Tubs Big River.