It’s a pressure cooker situation as the competitors of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association head into their final weekend of competition. We’re down to dollars and cents as competitors that are on the bubble fight to hold their position, and those on the outside looking in lay it all on the line to make the pinnacle event of Canadian rodeo. 

They have just two rodeos left, the Grass Roots Final in Calgary, Alberta – which offers a possible $5,000 payday – and the Hanna Pro Rodeo that averaged about $1,000-$1,400 for first place last year. So if you’re not on the draw for the high-paying Grass Roots Final, that chance could have already faded away.

Watch The Grass Roots Final LIVE on FloRodeo September 27-28, 2018.

An interesting situation is unfolding in the steer wrestling. With seven cowboys that have a chance to squeeze into the CFR, and a tight race above the bubble line, it’s the event that may see the most changes after this weekend. 

To make it even more interesting, No. 13 and 14 guys in the standings–the ones that have the least ground to make up to get into the top 12–have not qualified for the Grass Roots Final. Cousins Chance and Brock Butterfield will have to do their winning in Hanna and hope their paycheck will be enough to hold on when their fellow competitors make their runs in Calgary. 

The next five in the standings–Dallas Frank, Derek Frank, Straws Milan, Tyson Willick, and Matt Richardson–may have a larger earnings gap to bridge, but they also have a shot at more money at the Grass Roots Final. 

One of those five–Straws Milan–is lucky to be a part of the herd after a top-ten steer wrestler had to turn out to work rodeos south of the border this week. 

“Tanner, my brother, is sitting sixteenth in the world and he’s gone down to Texas, California, Kansas City, Omaha, everywhere to try and get back into the top 15 to make the NFR,” explained Straws. “The Grass Roots Final only counts for the CPRA standings and he’s already got the Canadian Finals made so he didn’t enter it because he has to go to those and I was fortunate enough to be the No. 11 man and got in.”

Milan knows getting into the Grass Roots is only the first step in making up the over $2,000 deficit he currently has in the standings. Besides being smart at the barrier, the cowboy we love to watch for his ability to pancake a steer has decided that step two is letting it all hang out. 

“Tomorrow night I’m going to be the first guy out so I’m not going to get to watch anybody go and see what the start is,” said Milan. “So basically I’m just going to go at it with guns a blazing, I have nothing to lose.”

So the question after this weekend will be who – and how many – of those seven steer wrestlers will make it to the CFR?

We’ve done an analysis of who’s unofficially safe, who’s on the bubble, and who still has a shot at making it, starting with the exciting situation unfolding in the steer wrestling:  

Bareback: Two Can Squeeze Into CFR 

Tie-Down: Five Ropers Battling For Two Spots

Saddle Bronc: 5 With A Chance, 3 In Grass Roots

Team Roping: Last Few Spots In Jeopardy

Barrel Racing: Willis Is Only One With A Shot

Bull Riding: Tons Of Competitors With Shot At Grass Roots