McLure junior bull rider, Jake Bradley, finished third overall at the recent Canadian Junior High School Rodeo Finals in Merritt, B.C., on July 27-29.
Bradley came into the finals the number one junior bull rider in B.C., and faced five tough riders from Alberta and Saskatchewan. Go round number one didn’t play out the way he had hoped – he was bucked off a few seconds into his ride. However, Bradley quickly turned things around in go round two. He was the last rider out and needed to make a ride to earn his way back for the short go on Sunday. Not only did Bradley make the ride, he scored a 69, winning the go round and earning a trophy buckle.
Only three of the junior bull riders qualified for the short go (Championship Round) on Sunday; Bradley, along with one rider from Alberta and another from Saskatchewan.
But the short go on Sunday did not come with a winning ride for Bradley. The flank strap fell off Bradley’s bull as it left the chute, rewarding him with a re-ride bull. His re-ride was a wild one, and he bucked off three jumps in.
Despite the final go round not going as he had hoped, Bradley says he is very proud to have represented B.C. in the finals and to finish in the top three in Canada.
Bradley’s twin sister Becky Bradley also competed in the High School Rodeo Finals in the junior girls goat tying. Despite her best efforts, her finals did not go as hoped. She missed qualifying for the Short Go by one second in her average time on two goats. However, Becky Bradley is still super proud to have also represented B.C. at the finals and finished 11th in Canada against a very tough field of goat tyers.
Next up for the Bradley twins is the BCRA Wildcard Rodeo on Friday Aug. 31, at the fairgrounds in Barriere. This is a qualifier for the Labour Day weekend (Sept. 1 -3, 2018), BCRA Finals held at the North Thompson Fall Fair, also in Barriere.
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