Zane Lambert propelled to runner-up effort at the Tanner Byrne Invitational, presented by Lipsett Cartage, compliments of a monstrous 91-point ride aboard reining Bull of the Year Catch My Drift
By Kacie Albert
PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – As action for the season-launch PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Canada event in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan wound to a close Saturday evening, home province sensation Jared Parsonage (Maple Creek, Saskatchewan) delivered a perfect 2-for-2 performance at the Byrne Ranch to win the Tanner Byrne Invitational, presented by Lipsett Cartage, and surge to the No. 1 position in the national standings.
Seeking his first PBR Canada Championship in 2021, Parsonage beg\an the evening with a bang, delivering the Round 1-winning score when he covered Turn Back Time (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) for 88.5 points.
As the last man to erupt from the chutes at the Prince Albert event, Parsonage clinched the victory when he covered 2019 PBR Canada Bull of the Finals Finning Lil Shorty (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) for 88 points. A rematch, the qualified ride avenged a buckoff from 2019 when Finning Lil Shorty brought Parsonage down in 6.52 seconds in Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Parsonage left the Byrne Ranch having earned 27 national and 15 world points, catapulted to the top of national standings.
Two-time PBR Canada Champion Zane Lambert (Ponoka, Alberta) was second, netting 17 national and 8 world points.
Going a flawless 2-for-2, Lambert began his campaign for a historic third national title when he delivered the sixth-best score of Round 1, an 83.5-point ride aboard Claude (Skori Bucking Bulls).
The veteran, however, then recorded a trip that won’t soon be forgotten when he dominated the championship round with a monstrous 91-point score on reigning PBR Canada Bull of the Year Catch My Drift (Two Bit Bucking Bulls/K Rose Ranch).
The score was the first 90-point ride on Canadian soil thus far in 2021.
The 8-second effort was earned in a rubber-match between the two powerful athletes. While Lambert covered Catch My Drift in their first meeting, marked 87 points in Stavely, Alberta, in September 2018, he was bucked off in their subsequent showdown, dispatched in 3.31 seconds in Calgary in March 2019.
Double-entered, Lambert also tied for 10th compliments of an 83.5-point score on Broken Trigger (Skori Bucking Bulls) during the continuation of Round 1 on Saturday evening.
Lambert is now ranked No. 2 in the early race for the 2021 PBR Canada Championship, a mere 10 points behind No. 1 Parsonage.
Should the Ponoka-native be crowned the national champion in 2021, he would tie Aaron Roy (Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan) for most PBR Canada Championships won by one rider. Roy earned the year-end honor in 2008, 2010 and 2012.
Roy also competed at the season-launch Tanner Byrne Invitational, presented by Lipsett Cartage, going a collective 2-for-4 to register a seventh and 14th-place finish.
Logging both of his scores in Round 1, Roy rode Lanham Kid (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) for 85 points and Finning JB Muley (Flying Four Bucking Bulls) for 78 points.
The 33-year-old earned 3.83 national and 0.5 world points and is now tied for the No. 6 rank in the national standings. He trails No. 1 Parsonage by 23.17 points.
Attempting to become the first back-to-back PBR Canada Champion in league history, reining national champion Dakota Buttar (Kindersley, Saskatchewan) finished both 12th and 13th.
Much like Roy, Buttar also went a collective 2-for-4, posting both of his rides in the opening round. Those efforts were an 82-point ride on Money Shot (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) and an 80.5-point score aboard Finning Hou’s Deacon (Flying Four Bucking Bulls).
Despite making the 8, Buttar finished outside of the point-earning positions and remains unranked in the race for the 2021 PBR Canada Championship.
Nick Tetz (Calgary, Alberta) was third.
The 2018 PBR Canada Rookie of the Year delivered a flawless performance on the opening night of action in Prince Albert to clinch the bronze finish.
First riding Lanham Kid for a second-best 85 points in Round 1, Tetz once again reached the whistle in the championship round when he covered Finning Lil Shorty for a career-best 89 points.
The surging young gun netted 16.33 national and 7 world points, catapulted to No. 3 in the PBR Canada national standings. Tetz is now within 10.67 points of No. 1 Parsonage.
Todd Chotowetz (Major, Saskatchewan) was fourth.
The Saskatchewan man punched his ticket to the championship round after covering Fantastic Pet (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) for 82 points in Round 1. Remaining flawless in his home province, Chotowetz then rode re-ride draw Hot Tamale (Two Bit Bucking Bulls) for 86 points in the championship round.
For his efforts, Chotowetz earned 4 national and 4 world points. He is now No. 5 in the national standings, 23 points behind No. 1 Parsonage.
Rounding out the Top 5 in fifth was Australian sensation Callum Miller (Warwick, Queensland), collecting 6 national and 3 world points.
Despite bucking off in Round 1, bested by Broken Trigger, Miller advanced to the championship round on time. Making the most of his second chance, Miller rode Rhythm & Blues (Flying High Rodeo Co.) for 88.5 points to crack the Top 5 on the event leaderboard.
Attempting to become the first Australian to be crowned a PBR Canada Champion in 2021, Miller rose to No. 4 in the national standings, 21 points back of the No. 1 rank.
Fans can relive all the action from the Tanner Byrne Invitational, presented by Lipsett Cartage, on Cowboy Channel Canada. The opening night of competition will be broadcast on Thursday, June 17 at 5:00 p.m. MT, followed by a repeat airing on Sunday, June 20 at 3:00 p.m. MT. The final day of action from Prince Albert will first air on Friday, June 18 at 5:00 p.m. MT, followed by a secondary telecast on June 20 at 4:00 p.m. MT.
Be sure to stay tuned to PBRCanada.com and follow the tour on Facebook (PBR Canada), Twitter (@PBRCanada), and Instagram (@PBRCanada) for the latest results and schedule of events.
PBR Canada Touring Pro Division – Tanner Byrne Invitational, presented by Lipsett Cartage
Prince Albert, Saskatchewan – Byrne Ranch
Event Leaders (Round 1- Round 2-Event Aggregate-Canadian Points-World Points)
- Jared Parsonage [2], 88.5-88-176.5-27-15
- Zane Lambert, 83.5-91-174.5-17-8
- Nick Tetz, 85-89-174-16.33-7
- Todd Chotowetz [2], 82-86-168-4-4
- Callum Miller, 0-88.5-88.5-6-3
- Ashton Sahli [2], 0-86.5-86.5-3-2
7 (tie). Aaron Roy [2], 85-0-85-3.83-0.5
Tyler Craig [2], 85-0-85-3.83-0.5
- Griffin Smeltzer [2], 84-0-84-1-0
10 (tie). Zane Lambert [2], 83.5-0-83.5-0-0
Cawl Braithwaite, 83.5-0-83.5-0-0
- Dakota Buttar [2], 82-0-82-0-0
- Dakota Buttar, 80.5-0-80.5-0-0
- Aaron Roy, 78-0-78-0-0
Cawl Braithwaite [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Cody Coverchuk, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Cody Coverchuk [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tyler Craig, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Weston Davidson, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Weston Davidson [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Fabian Dueck, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Fabian Dueck [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Todd Chotowetz, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tanner Eno, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tanner Eno [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tim Lipsett, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tim Lipsett [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Callum Miller [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Eric O’Flynn, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Eric O’Flynn [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Mike Ostashek, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Mike Ostashek [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Jared Parsonage, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Ashton Sahli, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tanner Skene, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Tanner Skene [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Griffin Smeltzer, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Blake Smith, 0-0-0.00-0-0
Blake Smith [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
Nick Tetz [2], 0-0-0.00-0-0
