The champion of the championship round receives a $50,000 payout from the Calgary Stampede. That is the sort of cash that is nearly sufficient to purchase a cowboy’s pass to the NFR in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Haven Meged of Miles City and Ty Erickson of Helena both captured the esteemed and lucrative Calgary Stampede championship for the first time in their careers on Sunday.
When the money is totaled at the end of the weekend, the two 2019 World Champions will have risen to the top of the world rankings in their respective categories thanks to their victories.
Erickson beat Don Payne’s time of 4.7 seconds to win by wrestling the steer in four seconds flat, having previously recorded a time of 4.5 seconds in the quarterfinals. Erickson was ranked eighth in the global steer wrestling standings going into the weekend.
With the win, Erickson completes his recovery from an ankle injury he sustained earlier this year, which prevented him from competing in rodeos over the Fourth of July for two months.
Haven Meged, a native of Montana and a fellow 2019 world champion, won $50,000 on Sunday in Calgary. Meged beat Macon Murphy’s time of 7.1 seconds to record the best time of the day in tie-down roping with a timing of 6.7 seconds.
In tie-down roping, everyone has been aiming to become the next Shad Mayfield or Ty Harris, and Meged has now secured the trademark victory to further his career in that direction.
Meged came into the weekend ranked fifth in the world with little over $96,000 won, following a strong Cowboy Christmas. Meged will jump to third place in the world and be within close proximity to the world leader following his victory on Sunday.
Former Montana State cowboy chaser Dougherty and Jeff Askey shared the bull riding championship in Calgary, with neither player receiving a point. During Cowboy Christmas, Dougherty has been on a hot streak and is presently third in the world rankings for bull riding.
